Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander has announced a £900m attack on tax avoidance and evasion. The additional investment is expected to raise an extra £7bn each year by 2014/15 from those who currently avoid paying their fair share of tax.
Commenting on the IMF's report on the British economy released today, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Treasury Parliamentary Committee, Stephen Williams said:
The latest 'Pints in the Parishes' event is taking place tonight, at the Plough in Bolnhurst. These sessions are intended to provide an opportunity for me to hear directly from anyone who wants to discuss the issues important to them in an informal, local environment. They are also a chance for for me to show my support for local, community pubs. If you would like to see me at one of these events and are wondering when I will be coming to a village pub near you, a full list of all 'Pints in the Parishes' dates and venues can be found by clicking on 'Pints in the Parishes' in the list on the left hand side of the the home page here on www.mayordave.org.uk
Liberal Democrat Cllrs Nick Charsley, Harrold Ward, and Anita Gerard, Kingsbrook Ward, are calling on residents across Bedford Borough to help put Bedford and its river, the Great Ouse, at the top of the table of best loved rivers. Both wards back onto the river and both Councillors feel that it is one of the jewels of the Borough, so much so that we should all make a big fuss about it.
I was concerned to see the article in last week's Beds on Sunday which suggested that a change to a two-tier schools system across the Borough is being pushed forward by the Council. It is not. When the Building Schools for the Future money was cut, that signalled the end for the Council's previously agreed reorganisation as it was dependent on that funding. I have made very clear since that there are just two exceptions to this: the changes in the case of Woodside Middle School due to the school being placed in special measures; and the new Bedford Academy and its feeder schools, as the Academy wishes to become an 11-19 secondary school and will receive the funds required for this change from government. It is absolutely vital that parents, students, teachers and schools have certainty on the way forward, so I will continue to state as plainly as possible that this is the situation.
On Thursday night I was invited to the Scrutiny Committee, after Conservatives on the Council called into question two recent Council decisions relating to CCTV. When it came to the meeting itself, the Conservative Councillors on the Committee asked very few questions at all on the two decisions, and I'm still not sure exactly why they made vociferous calls in the press for the decisions to be reviewed. However, I was glad of the opportunity to discuss the decisions and make clear that I am adamant that the Council will do all it can to make our communities safer while also ensuring the civil liberties of local residents are protected.
