The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.
At the Wokingham Borough Council meeting on 19th January, Lib Dem Cllr Sue Smith called on the Conservatives to make their Green Waste Scheme fairer by reducing the proposed charges, especially for people on the lowest incomes.
The Council's current garden waste collection is free. The Conservatives have announced that from April they will charge £60 a year for a green waste wheelie bin or £1 each for disposable paper sacks.
A row erupted last night in Wokingham Borough Council Chamber when Lib Dems were outraged by Conservative hypocrisy over public toilets.
Woodley Conservative Councillors Shahid Younis and Keith Baker attacked the Lib Dems for proposing the reinstatement of public toilets - even though Woodley Conservative leaflets claimed the Conservatives were lobbying for new public toilets for Woodley & Whitegates.
Library campaigners Anthony Vick and Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey are calling on the public to come and witness the first debate triggered by a petition in the history of Wokingham Borough Council. The debate will take place at the Council meeting on 17th November. It will be the first time non-councillors have had the chance to speak in a debate - and the first chance for a full public discussion of the Conservatives' plans for the library service.
At last Thursday's Council meeting, Liberal Democrat campaigner Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey presented a petition calling for Wokingham Borough Council to provide a pedestrian crossing on Robin Hood Lane in Winnersh.
Rachelle said: 'I presented a petition with 125 signatures to Wokingham Borough Council asking for a pedestrian crossing to be provided on Robin Hood Lane near Arbor Lane.
In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."
The Liberal Democrats will be presenting their petition asking Conservative Wokingham Borough Council to think again about outsourcing the library service to a private company to Council on next Thursday.
Cllr Stephen Conway (Liberal Democrat Councillor for Twyford Ward) said: 'Hundreds and hundreds of residents from all across Wokingham Borough have signed our petition asking for the Conservatives to rethink their plans to outsource the library service to a private company. In fact, so many have signed it that we will be able to call for the future of the library service to be debated at the Council meeting in November.'
At the Council meeting on Thursday, Liberal Democrats will be calling for the Council to consider having a shared Chief Executive, in light of the recent announcement from the current Chief Executive, Susan Law, that she is to leave.
Cllr Sue Smith (Liberal Democrat Councillor for Loddon ward) said: 'In these tough economic times, the Liberal Democrats are keen to suggest savings wherever possible. The Council currently shares many services with other local authorities, such as Legal Services with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and Trading Standards with West Berkshire Council, so why can it not share a Chief Executive?
At the Council meeting on Thursday, Cllr Stephen Conway (Liberal Democrat Councillor for Twyford ward) will be proposing a motion calling for Wokingham Borough Council to give incentives for recycling rather than force local residents to recycle more by reducing the amount of domestic rubbish collected. The motion has been proposed in light of the Council's plans to limit households in the Borough to just 80 sacks of waste a year.
Hundreds of people have signed the Liberal Democrats'petition to ask Conservative Wokingham Borough Council to think again about outsourcing the library service to a private company. And the number of signatures is growing on a daily basis.
The first part of the outsourcing process has been completed, and the council are now choosing which bidders they are taking forward to next stage.
At last Thursday's Council meeting, Wokingham Liberal Democrats were appalled to learn that, despite their pledge in the recent local elections, the Conservatives have admitted that there is currently no money in the budget allocated for extra investment in Bulmershe School.
Responding to a question from Cllr Beth Rowland (Liberal Democrat councillor for South Lake Ward) on the proposed investment in Bulmershe School, the Executive Member for Education, Cllr Rob Stanton, said that there was 'nothing in the budget'.
