Derby Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrats are very concerned at the council's plan to expect volunteers to run ten of the city's 15 libraries. Mickleover Library has become one of the privileged ones to still be run by the council.

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition or otherwise campaigned to achieve this.

The council wants to hear from groups or individuals interested in running one of the other ten libraries before the end of August. It requires detailed plans just two months later and wants to have volunteers running libraries before the end of the year. Councillor Lucy Care said "The Labour Cabinet seem confident that hundreds of people are waiting to step forward to run our libraries as volunteers. We are not sure that those people yet exist, nor can be found and trained in just six months."

The Labour Council Cabinet have finally agreed to release over £300,000 for improvements to parks in an area within a mile of Heatherton. This was part of the 'planning gain' or 'Section 106' contribution from Heatherton developers to improve outdoor leisure in the area. Over £50,000 is also available for Heatherton Community Centre.

Derby City Council is continuing to fall behind in its plans for Special Educational Needs school children.

A Freedom of Information request suggests that over 60% of pupils with special educational needs due to start secondary school this September - who should legally have had their statements of SEN transferred to the new Education , Health and Care Plans - did not receive their new plan in time.

The council are required to have the Education, Health and Care plans in place for all children with special educational needs by 1st April 2018, Under the Children and Families Act 2014. At the current rate, If Derby City Council cannot meet a legal deadline for a smaller cohort this implies that the Council simply won't be able to get the necessary arrangements in place to convert all the old Statements to the new EHCPs.

Local campaigner Danielle Lind said "It's a disgrace how badly this has been handled.

"These children are the most vulnerable in our city but Labour are letting them down and leaving families in limbo.

"Labour need to admit they have a major problem and that they're failing our most vulnerable children. All these children want is to go to a suitable school and receive an appropriate education like anyone else, but Labour's incompetence and disregard can cause children and their families great anxiety, stress and uncertainty fearing where their children will go to school and if provision will be cut.

"It is of great concern that, due to the council not completing the plans on time, families may not have had the chance to appeal any decisions about what school their child will attend or what provision their child will receive before the new term starts. Parents will no doubt feel under immense pressure to just accept, even if they disagree.

"We need an end to Labour's record of failure for Derby."

Derby Liberal Democrats leader Cllr Ruth Skelton said "There is quite clearly a problem here; the FOI replies prove it. Labour need to stop burying their heads in the sand."

In 2015 local Liberal Democrats asked local people for highways priorities in the area near the Royal Derby Hospital. One of the top priorities was to reduce the speed limit on local roads to 20mph.

In 2016 some of the last money given to the council to reduce the impact of extra traffic from expanding the hospital, was used to measure traffic speed on local roads. This showed that most of the residential streets north of Burton Road could have the speed limit reduced to 20mph without needing humps or chicanes.

Labour and Conservative parties continue to support leaving the EU, despite internal divisions. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats are clear we should, as a minimum, remain in the Single Market.

Over the last few weeks it has become ever clearer that:

• Our current deal with the EU is likely to be better than one we can get outside for manufacturing, farming, fishing and more
• Our economy is slumping, manufacturing is falling, investment is slowing, skilled people are leaving
• The Government has no idea how much of the UK economy will function outside Europe, from the NHS to nuclear power stations

Cabling Heatherton

Virgin Media are installing their network across Heatherton. It will take into the autumn to complete. If other streets lack their network, let one of the Focus team know. It may be that while they are working in Heatherton they can complete other streets nearby too.

Litter bins

In the summer litter bins tend to fill up faster, so if you find bins that are full and overflowing, do report them. Most are emptied by the city council. These can be reported at www.tinyurl.com/derbylitter The bins at the Heatherton play areas are emptied by Miller Homes. If there's a problem, please email emcustomercare@millerhomes.co.uk

I take my role as a city councillor very seriously. It is an honour, and a responsibility, and I do it to the best of my ability. I believe in democracy, and encourage others to take part too.

But I'm not primarily a politician. My first career was as a professional engineer. This is still more part of who I am than politics. Parliament needs people with real life experience.

At present hospital beds can be blocked because local councils, which are responsible for social care, have not found somewhere for patients to be cared-for out of hospital. It shouldn't be like this.

Liberal Democrats want health and social care budgets for each area to be joined up by 2020. This will also place a bigger incentive on areas to keep people healthier for longer. At present many people spend their last 20 years of life with poor health.

The Liberal Democrats have long been seen as the 'greenest' of the main parties. In Government they pushed home energy efficiency, supported higher standards for new homes and more renewable energy.

As a result people use less fuel and there have been some days where UK electricity has been coal-free for the first times ever.

Results are back from the air quality test set up by Focus Team member Tom Bull last month with support from Friends of the Earth.

Air in one of the front gardens near the Royal Derby Hospital is three times as polluted with damaging nitrogen dioxide as air close to Nutwood Local Nature Reserve in Darley Abbey.