Stockport Liberal Democrats

Having suffered years of underfunding, Stockport Lib Dems are concerned at the announcement this week that the Conservative government’s plan to introduce a new funding formula for schools has been delayed for yet another year, to 2018/19.

Speaking about the delay, Cllr Mark Weldon, Lib Dem spokesperson for Education, said: “The current formula massively disadvantages school children in Stockport and has done so for many years. Across the country the funding gap between the best and worst funded schools was almost £2m. Some schools get as much as £6300 per pupil whilst others get as little as £4200.

“In his announcement of this policy during his Autumn budget statement last year, George Osborne said there would be winners and losers when a fairer formula is announced. Now the government is saying that no school will lose funding. Schools need to know what funding is available to them so that they can plan for the future of our education system.”

Cllr Lisa Smart, Lib Dem spokesperson for Reform and Governance, said: “The Conservatives have been campaigning on this issue locally and making much of the unfairness of the current system. Now they announce that they will be continuing the unfair system for yet another year whilst also cutting budgets in real terms. Per-pupil funding will be frozen for 2017/18 and schools will have extra costs to meet, such as higher pensions contributions for staff.

“This uncertainty and this continued unfairness is simply not acceptable. We call on the government to get on with implementing a fair system which will enable our schools to deliver better outcomes for children across Stockport.”

Stockport Lib Dems have congratulated the Cheadle Muslim Association on a successful open day.

“The Cheadle Muslim Association have opened their doors to the whole community for several years, and the 2016 event did not disappoint,” said Cllr Iain Roberts. “The food was excellent as ever, the entertainment was great fun and there was lots for children and adults to do.”

Iain congratulated the Cheadle Muslim Association on the work they do. “The CMA is far more than a mosque. Their children’s sports facilities are open to the whole community, they run a foodbank and raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity every year,” he said.

Lib Dem councillors from across Stockport came to the open day including Stockport Mayor Chris Gordon, Mark Hunter, Lisa Smart, Keith Holloway, John Pantall, June Somekh, Keith Holloway and Iain Roberts.

 

Stockport Liberal Democrats are demanding Stepping Hill hospital scrap proposals to triple the cost of staff parking permits. Under the scheme being considered by the hospital, a full time nurse would see the permit price increase from £300 to almost £900 a year.*

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Staff facing this sort of increase would have the choice of either paying what is effectively a flat rate job tax to prop up the NHS or of parking on local streets, which are already heavily congested with staff and visitor parking. In discussing the issue the Hospital has admitted that they do not have enough parking for patients and staff on the site.

Councillor for Stepping Hill ward, Mark Weldon, who is campaigning on parking issues at the hospital, said “It is completely wrong that dedicated doctors and nurses, many on low salaries, are being asked to prop up hospital finances by paying hundreds of pounds more for parking. The Government should be funding Stepping Hill properly, not expecting medical staff to do it instead.”

Councillor Jon Twigge for neighbouring Hazel Grove ward, which also experiences considerable parking congestion from hospital staff and visitors, said: “We only found out about these proposals when a resident tipped me off. Residents are rightly concerned that this will see local streets swamped with cars, especially as the hospital staff work shifts covering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the time between the new shift arriving and the previous one finishing, double the parking capacity is needed.

“When I have talked to the hospital about parking problems their answer was that their staff will park wherever they want as long as it is legal, and they seem to want to absolve themselves of any responsibility for managing the problem they are causing on residential streets.”

Stockport Liberal Democrats are calling on the management of Stepping Hill Hospital to scrap the proposed increase in staff parking charges and to engage properly with local residents to find a workable solution to this problem.

* The permit figures have been given to us by a member of hospital staff. When we initially approached the hospital they declined to comment. We have since been contacted by the Stepping Hill Press Office who have told us that a typical nurse pays £200 to park now, and under the new proposals the fee would almost double, rather than tripling.

Mark Hunter, the former MP, was selected unanimously as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Cheadle Constituency on Friday. In next door Hazel Grove Constituency there was another unanimous selection – with members picking Bredbury Green & Romiley Councillor Lisa Smart to fight the next election for them.

The Liberal Democrats are now ready to fight a general election, having selected candidates in key seats across the country.

This follows reports that the new Prime Minister might go to the country early, before the economy goes into a possible recession and to take advantage of Labour in-fighting.

Lisa Smart has a strong record of representing local people having protected Tangshutt Fields, got money for a study into the M60 to A6 bypass and been key in the campaign to get specialist status for Stepping Hill Hospital.

“I am really proud to have been selected for this wonderful area that I love, and think both Mark and I have a lot of unfinished business here” said Lisa Smart.

“I am only too well aware that this area has its challenges. As such my three campaign priorities will be getting the Hazel Grove bypass finished to take traffic off our roads, making our schools fit for all children to fulfill their potential, and making sure that the fight for mental health is fully supported.”

“Barely 14 months have passed since the general election and following the EU Referendum the Conservatives have plunged the UK into political and economic chaos” added Mark Hunter.

“With Labour having descended into civil war at the same time, there has never been a better opportunity to make the case for the Liberal Democrats and we are determined to do so by campaigning hard on the issues that matter to local people. I’m honoured to have been selected again to fight Cheadle for the Lib Dems – there are huge challenges ahead and local residents deserve a visible MP who will fight for them and speak up for our area.

“The Liberal Democrats are well placed to fight a general election whenever it is held and I am raring to go. Since the referendum we have signed up 16,000 new members nationally and a large number across Stockport. In May this year the Liberal Democrats made more gains than any other party in the local elections. We have many new committed activists who will be joining us on the doorstep, making the case for strong local campaigners who will fight for Hazel Grove and Cheadle.”

Stockport Liberal Democrats have congratulated Stockport Homes on being named the UK’s Top Landlord in a competition organised by one of the profession’s leading magazines, Housing 24, after winning a public vote following their nomination by a panel of experts from a shortlist of ten similar housing organisations.

Councillor Mark Hunter, Shadow Executive Member for Communities and Housing, said: “It is with considerable pride that we congratulate our partners at Stockport Homes. Being named the country’s Top Landlord is an accolade they richly deserve.

“Over many years of Liberal Democrat council control Stockport Homes were given the autonomy to develop their own approach to service delivery and this award shows the faith we had in them has been recognised by yet another national award. With the development of their new headquarters literally on our doorstep, we look forward to continuing to work closely with them in the years ahead.”

Further details of the award can be found in Stockport Homes’ press release here.

Over 130 residents attended a busy public meeting about the problems caused by Stepping Hill Hospital staff parking on residential roads. The meeting was organised by Lib Dem Councillor Mark Weldon. Mr Russell James, the resilience director at Stepping Hill Hospital, also attended.
Residents, who are affected every day by hospital staff and visitors parking on their roads, gave their views robustly.

“Most people who live near the hospital do not have driveways,” said Cllr Mark Weldon. “Local people, including the elderly and those with mobility problems, often can’t park near their own homes because all the spaces are taken up by hospital parking.”

Mr James conceded that the hospital did inadvertently cause problems but there was little they could do to force either staff or patients to avoid parking in surrounding streets. He then went on to outline the actions the trust were making to encourage staff to avoid parking on residential streets around the hospital.

“Stepping Hill are doing some work to help improve the parking situation,” said Mark, “but since the meeting we’ve heard that the hospital is considering greatly increasing staff parking costs on the site. That’s going to push even more cars onto the roads of long-suffering local people. It’s encouraging that the hospital has now committed to working with the Council on the problem though. Far better use could be made of the Hazel Grove Park & Ride owned by Stagecoach, but we need to do more to discourage local parking too.”

Mr James promised to redouble efforts to work with Stockport Council to try to alleviate the problems and Cllr Weldon gave a commitment to pursue an area residents parking scheme which recognised the needs of all residents and businesses in the area.