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.”

The fluctuations of the stock market, currencies, and oil prices have made the last few months a roller coaster to observers never mind those who work in these sectors. The greed and arrogance of a relatively small number of people who profited out of the naivety of others nearly brought the whole edifice of our financial system to its knees.

Such naivety even runs to Councils (of all political persuasions, but mostly Conservative) who saw fit to invest millions of our tax payers money in foreign bank accounts to earn a fraction extra interest. The first fiduciary duty of any Council should be to protect our assets. Investing our cash should be risk free activity yet in order to get our money back we have had to rely on Gordon Brown invoking anti terrorist legislation to seize Icelandic assets. Where will it all end? A recession I have no doubt. If the pundits are to be believed it will be a long and difficult one.

Such a recession should call for a radical rethink of what we as a Council do to help those most in need. At the last Council meeting in September I put forward a motion urging the Cabinet to do just that. Instead the motion was completely changed to give the Cabinet another pat on the back. They can do that they have the numbers!

The situation since then has become far worse. There are talented people on the Council from all parties and it is time petty differences were put aside and a genuine dialogue entered into as to how the Council can best serve the residents in these difficult times.

However the last few months has also seen the darker side of political life in Hillingdon. The saga of Ian Oakley, until a few weeks ago the Chair of our Residents Overview Committee, has been shocking even to those at the front line of the political battle. Oakley has pleaded GUILTY to five charges of criminal damage, two charges of harassment against Liberal Democrats in Watford, and asked for 68 other offences to be taken into account. He is due to be sentenced for his crimes in October.

When harsh words are exchanged in the political debate it is important that those involved see the others point of view as a legitimate expression. It must never resort to the sort of personal and criminal actions which were undertaken by Cllr Oakley. Too many times in Hillingdon the “gang culture” takes over and everything your opponents does or says is reviled. In reality as councillors we agree on 95% of the decisions which need to be taken. Let’s concentrate on electing good local councillors of all political persuasions who will work hard for the interests of local residents and the community we live in; not those who prefer the status, or the money for themselves or their party.

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

A lot of work by council officers and councillors over the years has gone into negotiating a practical solution. Shortly after the 2006 election I accompanied the other two Hillingdon party leaders to put forward the case to the minister in charge. Despite Hillingdon Council losing their case in the courts common sense has finally prevailed. I agree with Cllr Puddifoot that special praise needs to be given to John McDonnell and Cllr Anthony Way for challenging their own party’s position so effectively.

The big question now must be what will Hillingdon do with the special windfall? Will we see some of the painful cuts in services reversed, will we see some of our potholed roads repaired or will the money be used just to bribe Tory voters ahead of the next local elections?

One candidate for enhanced funding should be the borough’s sports facilities. Not just the bricks and mortar of buildings but a proper competitive programme to push Hillingdon into the forefront of the preparations for 2012. After the fantastic achievements of Team GB in Beijing we have an opportunity over the next 4 years to make Hillingdon a centre of excellence and a beacon of achievement in sport. The Conservative administration now has the opportunity and the funds to save the Swallows gymnastics centre as a existing and strong base for sporting excellence in the borough. What’s stopping them?

After waiting more than 2 weeks, Cllr Ray Puddifoot has finally reported Cllr Oakley to the Standards Committee in an effort to be seen to be doing something

Mike Cox, leader of Hillingdon’s Lib dem group, said “This is simply too little too late. If Cllr Puddifoot wants us to believe that this is not just “putting on a show” he would have done it weeks ago. He would also have thrown him off his well paid job as Chair of an Overview Committee where Hillingdon Tax payers are paying him an EXTRA £20,000 a year on top of the £10,000 Councillor’s Allowance”

“The Conservative response has been weak, ineffectual and the height of double standards. There has been no action from Mr Cameron into his activities in Watford, there has been no action from Puddifoot into his status as a Chair of Scrutiny. The Conservative party are the kings of spin and the paupers of truth and democratic values.”

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” 

Many will have followed the controversy over the Conservative Cabinets decision to liquidate the Hillingdon School of Gymnastics. I have spent much of the month trying to stop them.

Hillingdon’s initial case was that the School owed £300,000 in rent and rates, but the fact is these are backdated invoices designed purely to liquidate the company and force the return of a valuable lease. It will never recover any monies for the tax payer.

Appalled that someone should dare to fight back Hillingdon then spend hundreds of pounds writing to petitioners many of them children. This letter contained so many distortions and inaccuracies it could have been prepared by Stalin’s propaganda department.

Hillingdon then inform the BBC they are concerned about the Health and Safety of the building and yet forgot that they were provided with all the documentation months before.

The case took place on the 30^th April at the Royal Courts of Justice. The Hillingdon Cabinet sent along 3 senior officers plus a highly paid barrister. They were humiliated by the judge who adjourned the meeting because Hillingdon had failed to submit the correct papers. The Cabinet then inform the press it had been adjourned because of additional late information.

On May 1^st hundreds of excited children and parents gathered in Hayes for the Hillingdon Swimming Gala organised by Hillingdon Council. It was abandoned because of concerns by Hillingdon’s Health and Safety regime.

The phrase Hillingdon could not organise a Swimming gala in a swimming pool comes to mind. Sadly in the case of parents and children who use the Swallows that is a fact.

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”