The Northwood Liberal Democrats are delighted to announce that Alan Prue has agreed to stand for them in this important by election.

Alan has been a dedicated worker involved in helping Northwood residents with a variety of issues. He has spent ten years on the Executive of the Northwood Residents Association, 6 of which as Chairman (2000-2006). He is currently responsible for helping residents with planning issues and also acts as volunteer at Northwood Police Station.

Commenting on his selection Alan said

” I was very pleased to be asked to stand. I admire that the way the local Lib Dems fight for the local community and concentrate on getting the job done. I want to put the interests of Northwood residents first.”

Lib Dem leader Cllr Mike Cox said

“Alan would be an enormous asset on Hillingdon Council and irrespective of politics he would be a great Champion for Northwood.”

Liberal Democrats in Hillingdon have thrown down the gauntlet to the Conservatives on the eve of their conference by demanding answers to questions about the economy.

Leading the charge for the local Liberal Democrats is Cllr Mike Cox a Chartered Accountant and Leader of Hillingdon Lib Dem Group. He said that with the credit crunch biting hard, residents in Hillingdon have a right to know what the Conservatives would do to restore the economy to health.

“The credit crunch started last year but so far, the Conservatives have said a lot about how badly the economy is going, and very little about how they want the economy restored to health,” said Mike Cox.

“If the Conservatives want people in Hillingdon to vote for them, they should tell them what they are letting themselves in for. It seems to me that the Conservatives are either clueless about how to solve the economic problems or have policies that they want to keep hidden.

“I am therefore challenging the Conservatives in Hillingdon to tell us where they stand on the big issues facing local residents.”

Cllr Mike Cox is calling for answers to the following:

Will the Conservatives make the richest pay their fair share of tax?

The only tax proposals announced by the Conservatives are to cut Inheritance Tax for millionaires, abolish Stamp Duty on shares and introduce a marriage-based tax system which would penalise widows, those escaping domestic violence and anyone else who is not married.

Will the Conservatives continue to defend the behaviour of City fat-cat speculators?

The Conservatives have refused to criticise the City hedge funds, which have significantly worsened the recent financial crisis.

What do the Conservatives mean by sharing the proceeds of growth, and how will they do it in a recession?

Why have the Conservatives nothing to say about council and other social housing?

The Conservatives brought council house building effectively to an end when they were last in government. Now council housing is badly needed but the Conservatives have been silent about this.

Do the Conservatives now admit they got it wrong on Northern Rock?

The Conservatives failed to see the Northern Rock fiasco coming. When it did arrive they kept changing their position on how to deal with it. Now that other banks are facing difficulties will they continue to oppose state ownership on ideological grounds?

Why did the Conservatives ignore the dangerous boom in lending and house prices?

Whilst the Government let the boom in credit get out of control, the Conservatives sat idly by. Now that the housing bubble has burst, the Conservatives are happy to make political capital. Their frontbencher Andrew Mitchell MP said that the economic problems besetting the country have created ‘an incredibly good moment’ for the Conservatives. How can taxpayers believe they will do anything to tackle the problem were they in government? (Source: ePolitix.com 26/9/08)

What is their view of house prices?

High house prices mean many people are unable to get their foot on the first rung of the property ladder. However, the Conservatives have so far failed to accept that prices needs to be more realistic. They were the first to propose a Stamp Duty holiday to get first time buyers into the market. Yet that same policy completely failed when they introduced it the last time they were in office. People did not want to buy homes which a few months later would be worth a great deal less than they paid for it.

Why do the Conservatives still support Council Tax?

The last Conservative Government introduced the unfair Council Tax in the wake of the disastrous Poll Tax. 15 years on and after it has doubled under the current Government, the Tories have still failed to tackle this flawed tax, which disproportionately hits pensioners and poor families.

Mike Cox said, “So far the Conservatives have failed to tackle any of the big issues facing families today.

“Their empty words have got them through until now, but they are no substitute for actual proposals when it comes to tackling the serious problems facing our economy. The Conservatives must stop dodging the tough choices if he really wants to establish any economic credibility with voters.”

At the last Council Meeting Cllr Mike Cox proposed the Hillingdon Cabinet urgently looked at ways to help local people through the current economic problems. They voted against Cllr Cox’s motion and instead changed the words to give themselves a pat on the back

It is with great sadness that we report that Norman Nunn-Price, councillor for Townfield ward, Hayes, has died aged 81.

Norman, a retired scientist and magistrate, was first elected as a councillor in Hillingdon in 1994, and was leader of the Labour Group from 2002 to 2003.

He served first Botwell ward and then Townfield ward.

Cllr Mike Cox Leader of the Hillingdon Council Lib Dem Group said

” I knew Norman both politically and socially. He was a gentleman in every way. He fought hard for what he believed to be right and also for anyone who asked for his help. He will be greatly missed and our condolences go to his family and friends” 

At a hastily convened planning meeting to decide the fate of Yiewsley the proposed Tesco superstore was put up for approval by officers, despite massive objections from local residents, councillors and the MP.

The meeting started with officers spending 45 minutes praising the development while residents had to sit and listen. This was followed by 4 petition objectors being given strictly 5 minutes to outline their detailed and technical objections. Any overruns were ruthlessly cut short by the Tory Committee Chair. The 2 petitions in favour as well as the Tesco representative were not subject to the same time restraints and allowed to overrun.

After a grilling from a few members of the committee the Conservative group gave in and agreed to recommend the plan for approval At this point the Councils legal representative stopped proceedings after it was discovered the plans were being changed “on the hoof” to accommodate basic errors in planning. The application was then suspended for another day in order to seek clarifications.

Cllr Mike Cox, who spoke as a petitioner representing local traders, said:

“This was the most shambolic planning I have ever witnessed. The officers had been clearly rushed into making this decision, objectors were ridden roughshod over and the whole democratic and planning process was compromised. This plan should now be withdrawn and Tesco told in no uncertain terms to sell up and go home. Your super store is not wanted and not needed”

Following the news that Swallows Gymnastics Club in Ruislip is under threat of closure, Cllr Mike Cox and Ealing-Hillingdon GLA candidate, Nigel Bakhai, have given their support to the proprietors, Mike and Tania Swallow, and are calling on Hillingdon Borough Council to honour previous agreement and withdraw outrageous demands for back rent and rates which is could bring an end to 30 years of Gymnastics excellence in Hillingdon.

Prospective Lib Dem MP, Cllr Mike Cox commented:

“Mike and Tania Swallow have provided over three decades of service to the local community. For all that to come to an end now would be a tragedy and will leave Ruislip and Hillingdon the poorer for it. The Council have refused to meet with the club to resolve the problems with the lease. The Council appear to be holding the club to ransom in order to get their hands on prime development land which once belonged to Queensmead School. I want an unequivocal statement from this administration that they will work with the Hillingdon School of Gymnastics to secure the future of this Club at this site.”

Nigel Bakhai added:

“The Swallows is a recognised centre of sporting excellence not just in West London but also in the country. With the Olympics coming to London , and at a time when there is real concern about child obesity, it would be absurd for the Council to force the closure of such a well-established club like Swallows. If the Council continues to act in this unreasonable and provocative way then they will be doing irreparable damage to Gymnastics in Hillingdon and West London as well as damaging the country’s prospects for 2012.”

Hillingdon Liberal Democrats have launched a petition in an attempt to save the post office at The Pavilions shopping centre in Uxbridge town centre. The busy post office is due to be closed in a few weeks time and replaced with a much smaller facility on the first floor of W H Smith.

The petition calls on Hillingdon Borough Council to put pressure on the Post Office to put a halt to the closure until a proper public consultation has been carried out.

Lib Dem Councillor, Mike Cox, said:

“Closing this post office makes no sense at all. It is always busy; even with twelve counters open there is still often a queue. The new post office in W. H. Smith will be much smaller and will be difficult for elderly and disabled people to access as the lift to the first floor is very small. We have launched this petition to try to make the Post Office and the Council see sense.”

Lib Dem campaigner Gay Brown said:

“We have already had a fantastic response to this petition. We spent two hours outside The Pavillions and received some five hundred signatures. Many of the people we spoke to said that they had no idea that the branch was due to close and were very concerned when they found out.”

An online version of the petition is available at:

http://ourcampaign.org.uk/saveuxbridgepostoffice

At a Hillingdon Table Tennis championship organised by the Eastcote and Hillingdon Table Tennis Clubs Harefield Academy came top and Bishopshault second with 2 man Mellow Lane team doing remarkably well to come third.

Ruislip Manor Councillor, Mike Cox, who was drafted in to help umpire some of the games, said:

“It was a great competition. The kids loved it and showed some tremendous skill and fantastic sportsmanship. They were a credit to themselves and their schools. Tribute should also be paid to the officials and teachers whose organisation made it enjoyable for everyone.”

Hillingdon Council have again failed to improve on the dismal 2 star performance it achieved last year from the audit commission.

Hillingdon have yet again remained in the 4th division of local authorities being left in the bottom 20%. Only 1% of Councils do worse than Hillingdon with just 1 star.

Cllr Mike Cox Leader of the Hillingdon Liberal Democrat group said

“This is a truly dismal performance by the Hillingdon Conservative administration. They have been responsible for Hillingdon Council for 10 years now and have doubled their salaries in the last few years.

Cllr Puddifoot has failed to get a grip of Hillingdon and is covering up the Tory administrations incompetence with cheap gimmicks to attract publicity. It is time Cllr Puddifoot stood down. He promised excellent services, leading Hillingdon to the Premier league. He has delivered a 4th division result.”

FIGURES uncovered by the Liberal Democrats in Parliament show that over the past decade, the number of vehicles on roads in outer London have increased by 6%.

It means that congestion on local roads has gone up since Labour came to power in 1997, despite promises to reduce the number of people relying on cars to get about.

Cllr Mike Cox, Liberal Democrat campaigner in Hillingdon, said, “These figures show a worrying increase in the amount of traffic on roads in Outer London. I have no doubt Hillingdons increase is even worse because of the effects of Heathrow. The reality of the situation is that travelling by public transport is now more expensive but relatively speaking, the cost of travelling by car has fallen.

“When Labour came to power in 1997, John Prescott, who was then deputy Prime Minister, said, ‘I will have failed if in five years’ time there are not many more people using public transport and far fewer journeys by car. It’s a tall order but I urge you to hold me to it.’

“The rise in traffic in Outer London and across England generally is clearly a huge failure by the Government who promised so much but have delivered more congestion, pollution and more expensive buses and trains.

“The Government needs to look seriously at how to provide better buses and trains at an affordable price before Outer London grinds to a halt.

“A Transport Bill is now being debated by Parliament and there are a number of plans in it that will give powers to councils to improve bus services. This is a welcome move but it is a pity that Labour have taken over a decade to get this far.

“Yet even now there is a danger that the powers to improve bus services will be watered down by the Government. Liberal Democrats will be pressing the Government hard to make sure this doesn’t happen.”

Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors walked out of the Council Chamber at the Council meeting on 17 January during member’s question time.

This part of the Council agenda gives councillors the opportunity to put questions of local concern and interest to Cabinet Members who are responsible for making decisions. It enables ward councillors to hold Cabinet Members to account and provide information for residents and businesses.

Although a Councillor can ask a Cabinet Member a question, receive an answer and then ask a related supplementary question there is no opportunity to speak, debate or challenge anything that is said.

In recent months it has been used by a few members of the Conservative Party as a platform to make self-congratulatory party political speeches rather than answer issues of concern to local residents and businesses and sometimes in a manner which is confrontational and aggressive. This happened at the last council meeting and again yesterday (January 17th) when Councillor Douglas Mills rose to give unqualified congratulations to himself and his party on service improvements in Hillingdon.

On behalf of the many that have not experienced unqualified satisfaction with Council services and in demonstration at the abuse of the system Labour and Liberal democrat councillors walked out.

Cllr Mike Cox commented “Enough is enough. The Conservatives in Hillingdon have restricted our rights to speak at meetings and to ask questions at Council. If they want to pat themselves on the back they can do so in the privacy of their own company.”