Derby Liberal Democrats

Following a packed selection meeting, the Liberal Democrats in Derby North
have selected Barry Holliday as their new prospective parliamentary candidate.

Barry has already been working with Group Leader Councillor Ruth Skelton and
the local elections campaign team to achieve our recent superb local election
results, securing the re-election of every sitting Liberal Democrat councillor and
only missing winning the Abbey Ward by a single vote.

The results of the recent election gave no single party an overall majority on the Council. All parties have been talking to each other to try to find the best way forward.

Our priority as Liberal Democrats is to get Liberal Democrat policies enacted for the benefit of the whole of Derby. Detailed and serious discussions took place with both Labour and the Conservatives. We discussed our respective manifestos to identify areas in which we could agree, and problems where we could not. Of particular importance was restoring accountability to the Council after some years of decisions being made behind closed doors, and fixing the increasing problems that are plaguing special educational needs provision in Derby, both of these were key Liberal Democrat manifesto commitments.

Four years after the fire closed the Assembly Rooms, the Labour Council STILL aren't any closer to a solution.

Late last year Labour revealed a plan drawn up - at great expense - by consultants. But it quickly became clear local people didn't back Labour's plans. And worse, Labour's 'consultation' wasn't listening to people but trying to persuade them why Labour was right all along.

Roads make up a lot of our public space so how well they are kept makes a bit difference to the whole area. Thank you to everyone who has been reporting potholes and other problems, either directly to the Council, or using the 'fix my street' app. It means the highways team are rushed off their feet - but hopefully our roads stay safer and smarter.

Flooding - again

There have been a couple of days of heavy rain recently, leading to the footpath past Littleover Community School to Mickleover being washed away again, as it was a couple of years ago. This time Cllr Lucy Care was around to see what was happening - water flooding off the A38. Lucy has written to Highways England asking them to stop this happening again. She hopes they'll also pay for the path repair.

The new traffic lights at Blagreaves Lane End have recently been the scene of a two-car crash. This closed the road for some time.

This is in addition to the increase in rat running that's been seen in front of the shops on the corner. With vehicles coming past the shops in both directions and often narrowly missing people, a crash there too could be only a matter of time. Cllr Ruth Skelton and Cllr Joe Naitta are working with local shops and the Council to make this area safer for pedestrians.

Life can be frustrating…

One of the Council's 2016/17 highways priorities in Littleover was to make improvements for walkers and cyclists in Heatherton. If it were more attractive for people to choose these hopefully it would reduce the traffic on Pastures Hill.

By the end of 2016 the Council had got nowhere. To help, we asked for ideas. It included some suggestions - lowered kerbs, extra seats, better signs. Thank you to those who replied.

Sunnydale Path

Sunnydale Park woodlands' footpath that has now been upgraded using money from developers. This will make it easier for more people to enjoy the park all year round.

Top of Moorway Lane

After pressure from your local Lib Dem team, the Council have now installed the bollards at the junction of Moorway Lane and Blagreaves Lane. The white lines over three driveways still have to be done.

The UK helped write, and approve, the rules for how countries can leave the EU. At the time the UK was a member with no plans for leaving. Now it is putting those rules into practice.

It is becoming clear that many - if not all - of the promises made by the Leave campaign can't be delivered under the EU's rules. The UK can't have the same benefits outside the EU as in - from market access, hosting EU bodies, to having a say in making future rules. We are already getting poorer as businesses are leaving, closing, and investing elsewhere.

Derby City Council have declared that all Education & Health Care Plans (EHCPs) for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) have now been completed - meaning they did a record-breaking 502 in just one month to meet the deadline, in contrast with just 40 a month until recently.

Derby News journalist Russell Pollard has said that there is "clear evidence the Council has significantly compromised on quality in order to achieve the target." Derby parents have provided him with examples of sub-standard plans completed for their children.