FOCUS

SOUTH WERRINGTON & NORTH GUNTHORPE RESIDENTS NEWSLETTER

News from Lib Dem councillors

Issue number 81

Julia Davidson & Darren Fower

TORIES VOTE TO CLOSE CHILDRENS CENTRES

Your local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower was one of a small group who forced a special meeting of the full council to consider Tory plans to shut childrens centres across the city. Despite this last-ditch attempt to prevent the closure of eight out of 15
council-run children's centres, the Tory-controlled city council rejected parents' protests, deciding instead that closure was its preferred option. Werrington Childrens Centre is one of those identified in the plan. The council claims that the venue will be "re-used by other providers of services for families with children under the age of five" but Darren says he no longer trusts the Town Hall on this issue. He said: Facilities must continue to be provided at this location. Werrington might not have the highest level of deprivation in the city but in future years we will have more young families here. My only hope now is that the site could Lib Dem councillor Darren become part of Welbourne School and I Fower helped lead the fight for understand that discussions about this Werrington Childrens Centre. have started." One local Werrington parent said: "My daughter and I have attended the centre for two years. The groups have kept me going as a single mum. I do not have the money to travel to other groups. I have suffered from depression and over the last year, thanks to support of the staff and groups, have felt well enough to come off my tablets. What is going to happen to me next year? Another mother said: "I relied heavily upon the support given by Werrington Children's Centre when my baby was born. I dread to think what will happen in the future if that support is no longer there. Question: Did the Tory councillor for this area vote in FAVOUR of the closure? Answer: Of course she did!

Julias picture gallery

Local Lib Dem councillor Julia Davidson has been out and about dealing with complaints and problems for residents. Here are some of the things she has been trying to sort out over the past couple of weeks.

Broken railings on footbridge.

Abandoned shoppng trolley and broken safety post.

Damaged wall and fence.

CONTACT FOCUS
Text or phone your local Liberal Democrat councillors:

Darren Fower 0796 184 91 10 Julia Davidson 0750 653 66 27

By post: Town Hall, Bridge St, Peterborough PE1 1HG By e-mail: SWNG_FOCUS@peterboroughlibdems.org.uk Via Facebook, YouTube and Twitter: Search for SWNGFOCUSTeam

Or visit the councillors ward surgery':

6:00 to 7:00 pm, first Friday every month - Community Centre, Church Street 9:00 to 10:00 am , third Saturday every month - Brookside Methodist Church, Gunthorpe Rd

Beware of garden crime!

Your local Lib Dem ward councillors, Darren Fower and Julia Davidson, are reminding local residents to be mindful of crime when designing or maintaining their front gardens.
The warning comes after several people reported having items stolen recently, ranging from heavy rocks to plants. Darren said: It is particularly distressing that several of the victims have been elderly. He is urging anyone who has been a victim of such crime to report it to the police so that it will at least be included in the official crime statistics for the area.

Sell the Town Hall!

Parking on pavements
Local residents have contacted the FOCUS Team to complain at the seemingly increasing problem of cars As Focus was being written, the city council was agreeing its budget for the next parking on footpaths throughout the area. One local resident told us: Cars parking on the financial year. Around 8 million of savings pavements, forcing mobility scooters and pushchairs into have to be made as the government is the road to get by, is becoming a real problem. Pavements cutting grants to councils by more than 40 are for pedestrians not for riding bikes or for parking cars! per cent over four years.
Rather than cutting spending which supports the most vulnerable members of our society (such as axing Childrens Centres see front page) Liberal Democrats want the council to: Sell the Town Hall and move all council staff into new offices which are being built as part of the South Bank Development. Cancel the 2 million Long Causeway refurbishment programme. Rationalise IT equipment given to councillors. Many currently have both an iphone and an ipad provided by the council. Abolish the councils cabinet system and scrap the special payments made to many senior Tory councillors. Curb increases in pay for senior council staff and impose a pay freeze for directors. Abolish the mayors chauffeur-driven car and cut spending on food and drink for councillors.

Parking on pavements is forcing pedestrians including people on mobility scooters and mothers with children out into the road.

Another told us: Rules about not parking on pavements and other inconsiderate parking causing a hazard should be enforced. Local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren Fower said: It is time that the city council came up with a scheme that actually address this issue of problem parking and started to look at ways of reducing such activity. Whats your experience or thoughts on this matter? Please get in touch with FOCUS (contact details on front page) and let us know.

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Printed by PPS, Peterborough PE1 5XG. Published and promoted for and on behalf of the Liberal Democrats by Peter Chivall, 88 Elmfield Rd, Peterborough PE1 4HB