Hertsmere Liberal Democrats

Herts County Council has missed out on £450,000 of government funding for emergency measures to improve pavements and cycle ways. The council was promised nearly £1.7 million from the government for work that could be done in the next few weeks if it could come up with suitable schemes. Having looked at the council's proposals the government has cut the funding to just over £1.2 million. It is one of 22 councils who have missed out on their full allocation whilst 32 were given everything that they were promised. Hertfordshire's reduction is the third largest in England.

Hertsmere Liberal Democrats say a solution is still possible for the problems at Aldenham Reservoir, despite mounting concern about recent developments at the historic beauty spot.

The site's private owners are completing construction of a fence around the waterfront - citing health and safety reasons - which will prevent public access to sections of the perimeter footpath.

• Councillors move to protect Bushey Hall Golf Course from Tory scheme.

• Campaign underway to halt stadium plan in its tracks.

Amid increasing concern over Tory proposals to build a new Watford FC stadium on Bushey Hall Golf Course, Bushey Liberal Democrats are taking urgent practical steps to protect the site from the threat of development.

Hertsmere Borough Council must bring the owners of Aldenham Reservoir to the negotiating table to hammer out a rescue package for the stricken beauty spot.

That's the call from the borough's Liberal Democrat councillors, who say the council leadership needs to act now to break the deadlock after years of wrangling over the historic site's future.

Conservatives show lack of commitment to climate change by generating extra carbon emissions.

The Conservative-run Herts County Council has been slammed by environmental campaigners and the Liberal Democrat opposition for its
failure to reduce carbon emissions from street lights.

The Liberal Democrats proposed at a county meeting on Tuesday that all street lights that are switched on to full illumination at 5am in the
morning be reduced to 50% illumination till 6am to save money and carbon emissions.

Liberal Democrats have called for an independent inquiry into the number of deaths of Hertfordshire care sector residents from COVID-19.

Lib Dem Group Leader Stephen Giles-Medhurst said "We raised grave concern at a Special County Council meeting on Wednesday about the reported high level of deaths in the care sector in Hertfordshire.

"The Lead Conservative member on Herts County Council admitted deaths were high especially in the Watford and Hertsmere areas compared to other districts in Hertfordshire. There could be a number of reasons for that but no one yet knows for sure why so it's wrong to speculate. We need an independent review to establish all the facts.

Cllr Giles-Medhurst added "With now over 500 COVID-related deaths in the care sector reported by the county council this needs investigating. It's 500 too many. We need to know if this number of deaths and suffering could have been avoided and how. Were all the actions needed to minimise them taken? An inquiry would help us all understand that and help us learn and put in place better protection for our vulnerable in the care sector. It will also help families understand what occurred and help in their grief and loss."

Callum Robertson, Chair of the East of England Policy Committee, interviews Ed Davey MP.

Photo credit: Uk Parliament licensed under CC BY 3.0.

Although there are 235 deaths listing COVID 19 registered in Hertfordshire between 10th April and 15th May according the Office of National Statistics, Herts Liberal Democrats have calculated that as many as 500 deaths are likely to have occurred according to figures that the County Council has collected from care homes. The Liberal Democrats have also raised concerns that a far higher number of deaths have occurred in care homes in Watford and Hertsmere than in other districts.

The evidence is clear. Because of the failure to provide adequate testing arrangements, the Government has no scientific basis on which to tell Primary Schools that they should reopen on 1st June. Each and every school has been forced to carry out its own risk assessment in deciding when it will be appropriate to reopen. This must be based on the physical limitations of the school buildings, the number of staff who are able and prepared to come back to their classrooms, and most importantly the number of parents willing to send their children to school.

The County Council has to make it clearer to every school that it should feel under no pressure to open unless all these conditions are met. County Councillor Mark Watkin, Lib Dem Opposition spokesperson for Education comments: "There has never been a more important time for the County Council to give strong and clear guidance to schools and support them in whatever decision they take. Every day that our schools stay closed, our children's education suffers. It is imperative that the Government introduces reliable testing systems as soon as possible so that Heads and Boards of Governors have reliable information on which to base their decision. We also want to see more evidence that the County Council is actively helping schools to ensure that as much as possible is done to provide education for the pupils, and especially for those in danger of slipping behind due to prolonged absence from school."

"Must do better and be more pro-active" was the message from opposition Liberal Democrat councillors at County Hall to the four pilot schemes announced by the County Council that they brought in last weekend to encourage active travel and support for social distancing as more retail premises open.

Levels of walking and cycling have increased dramatically across the UK during the lock down. The Government recently announced a package of £250m of support to councils for changes as more people begin travelling to work again and there is an easing of restrictions, while capacity on public transport is still significantly reduced due to the ongoing need for social distancing.