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Cheshire West and Chester
Lib Dems have launched a new web site for their work in Cheshire West and Chester. www.cheshirewestlibdems.org.uk
14 May 2009

Tories attempt to stifle Resources Scrutiny Committee
Cllr. Paul Roberts foiled Tory attempts to stifle the Resources Scrutiny Committee.
At the meeting – which the Resources Executive member boycotted - it became clear that the revenue budget deficit is now more £1.8 million.
Read more . . . . 3 March 2009

City Council Finances go from bad to worse under Tories
The financial outturn for 2008/9 has moved from a predicted shortfall of £0.6million in July to £1.1 million in October, as a result of their July action plans to eliminate the £0.6 million shortfall.
Lib Dem leader, Cllr. Paul Roberts, reports that half of the total shortfall is on Parking and Park and Ride (P&R), the responsibility of Cllr. Stephen Mosley.
Read more . . . . 20 November 2008

Disgraced Tory Unitary Councillors
Two of the three Tory City Unitary Ward councillors have now been expelled from their Party because of their behaviour. Cllr. Max Drury seems to have claimed to be above the law because he was a city councillor and Cllr. Richard Lowe thought it was funny to make jokes about the missing Madeleine McCann.

Cllr. David Mead, City Councillor for College Ward, called upon them to resign, but they have not done so. In fact, they still seem to be working harmoniously with their Tory Party colleagues, as if nothing had happened. David Mead says: "It would not surprise me if they were soon re-admitted to their Party, as I believe their expulsions were more symbolic than real. The electors who put their trust in the Tories to select suitable candidates have been treated with contempt."
Cllr. David Mead, City Councillor for College Ward March 2009

Cut income tax for the lowest paid
Stop taking income tax from the lowest paid, demands Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate, Elizabeth Jewkes. ‘No one who only earns the Minimum Wage should be paying income tax’ she says.
Read more . . . . 4 February 2009

Pre Budget Review ‘A missed opportunity’
The pre budget review is ‘a missed opportunity’ claims Elizabeth Jewkes, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Chester.
"The proposal to temporarily reduce VAT by just 2.5% will give minimal help to the poorest families who are struggling to cope in the credit crunch. It will not reduce the cost of buying food or children’s clothes, as VAT isn’t paid on either of these. Nor will it reduce the cost of fuel bills as vat on fuel is only charged at 5% anyway.
Read more . . . . 25 November 2008

Cllr. David Mead spoke out against the Tory plans to set up a recycling and waste collection scheme that is likely to achieve a significantly lower recycling rate than that obtained by our neighbours in Vale Royal and Ellesmere Port & Neston.

The recent questionnaire about methods and frequency of collection did not make clear that weekly collection of residual waste is “modelled” to achieve no more than 38% recycling. By contrast, our neighbouring districts already achieve 45%+ recycling rates with fortnightly collection. The City

Council Executive has approved the continuation of weekly residual waste collection without taking account of the extra landfill costs and the loss of income from recycled material. These cost will have to be bourne by council tax payers.
Read more . . . . 13 July 2008

Liberal Democrats were deeply upset to learn that the Northgate Development is now officially dead, at least in its current form. Their leader, Cllr Paul Roberts, commented: ‘We have been working enthusiastically to deliver the crucial regeneration of the Northgate area for a number of years. Its potential importance to our residents is difficult to overestimate. We are saddened that the Tories effectively signed the death certificate of the Northgate Development when they made their campaign to ‘Kill the Slug’ a central plank of their plan to regain power in May 2007. They achieved that power at the expense of their electorate’.
Read more . . . .
22 November 2008

MP’s Expenses scandal

I am angry at the actions of MPs who have been abusing the system and squandering taxpayers' money - our money – and spend in on luxury items.

We need a general election to give people the opportunity to elect only decent, hardworking and honest people as MPs. Read more . . . .

Elizabeth Jewkes, 10 June 2009

Vauxhalls

Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Jewkes has spoken out against remarks made by Andrew Miller MP who criticised the Lib Dem Treasury Spokesman Vince Cable MP.
“I want the Ellesmere plant to stay open and it deserves to be given help to become competitive, not a short term crutch which will just put off the inevitable for a year or two as has happened to LDV.”
Read more . . . . . 15 June 2009

£10,000 income tax threshold

Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Jewkes proposal for income tax thresholds to be raised to £10,000 was accepted by Lib Dem conference and adopted as Lib Dem policy.

Elizabeth Jewkes, Prospective Parliamentary candidate for Chester
Read more . . . . . 16 October 2009

“People in Chester have been let down by their politicians and are rightly frustrated. I am going into the election with a clear direction and a manifesto that is short, direct and to the point” said Elizabeth Jewkes, the Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for Chester.