Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) research, published today in partnership with the National Trust, reveals that the government is sleepwalking towards the centralisation of the planning system. The LGiU surveyed senior local government politicians and officials in 94 Local Planning Authorities.  60% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree that the introduction of the National Planning […]

Tudor Avenue is scheduled to be resurfaced in April and the road markings at the junction of Tudor Avenue and Greenside will be replaced at that time. This should prevent any confusion as it will be clear that the route with right of way will be Tudor Avenue heading towards Dodney Drive along Greenside and […]

“Under the Conservatives, Lancashire has seen fit to cut support for many bus services over the last four years, something that the Liberal Democrat Group on the county has always opposed” says County Councillor Bill Winlow.  This situation is particularly difficult in Lea town and the orbital bus service to Cottam and Ingol on Sundays has […]

Figures obtained by the Telegraph 25/03/13) show that since the National Planning Policy Framework paper was published last March, the number of new homes winning planning permission has risen by a quarter in England and fallen in Scotland and Wales, where the changes do not apply. The Planning Inspectorate is warning privately of a “shock” to […]

According to yesterday’s Sunday Telegraph, Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat health minister, has said the government will create a post of chief inspector of social care aimed at exposing unacceptable care where it is found. The appointment will come in alongside a proposed new “rating” system for care providers – who will be ranked “excellent”, […]

The Sunday Times’ Charles Clover says that councils failure to show that they have reserved a five-year supply of land for housebuilding in their local plans, as required by government rules announced last year, will create a free-for-all for developers as they can use the admission to get planning decisions overturned.  “This is also true […]

The boss of the energy firm SSE has warned that “there is a very real risk of the lights going out” in Britain. Ian Marchant said the government was significantly underestimating the scale of the capacity crunch facing the country. He was commenting on the company’s decision to cut back on power generation at five […]

The equivalent of thousands of new schools may be needed after official estimates showed that the pupil population will rise by 1m within the next decade. Data published by the Department for Education showed that the number of children in the state system will top 8m by 2021 – the highest number in 50 years. […]

According to the Daily Mail on 22nd Feb county roadas are the deadliest place for drivers.  This will come as no surprise to residenst in Preston West where many rural roads are delimited.  “This is very dangereous” says County Councillor Bill Winlow, “because many drivers seem to think that is is safe to go at […]

The ‘mediasphere’ is full of the noise of pundits predicting  the obliteration of the LibDems. Thank goodness the voters have the good sense to prove them wrong. On Thursday 21st March it was the turn of the people of Adeyfield Ward [Hemel Hempstead] of Dacorum Borough Council to elect Liberal Democrat Ron Tindall. Ron took […]