Hinckley & Bosworth Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat County Councillors have set out their opposition to the Conservative run County Council's budget.

The budget will be debated on Wednesday and includes a 3.99% Council Tax rise and cuts to services including bus subsidies.

Opposition leader Cllr Simon Galton said "This is the first year since I got elected to the County Council in 1989 that the Council will receive no revenue grant from the Government. Which means local services will be funded entirely by council tax and business rates. Although they have managed to balance the budget this year the Tories plan appears to be keep fingers crossed and hope their Government will be more generous to Leicestershire in future years"

County Councillor Stuart Bray (Lib Dem, St Marys Division) will this week press the County Council to install a new crossing on Hinckley's London Road near to St Peter's Primary School. Cllr Bray has tabled a question to the full County Council meeting on Wednesday 20th February.

This follows representations received by both school children and the Head Teacher at the school. Cllr Bray said, "The problem has arisen because the previous school crossing patrol left and despite efforts by both the County Council and the school a replacement hasn't been found.

A senior Conservative Government Minister is being accused of chasing headlines, after announcing £8m of funding for changes to community healthcare in Hinckley and Bosworth which health officials admit haven't even been given the go ahead.

Late last year, the Tory Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock MP got positive local media coverage after announcing the investment for the changes.

Campaigners have reacted with fury to the news that a Government Inspector has found in favour of plans to build on a Hinckley nature feature.

Plans by Orbit housing to build 60 houses on the Big Pit, behind Ashby Road in Hinckley had been turned down by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough council.

However Orbit appealed to a Government Inspector who has found in their favour

The Conservative government has announced its financial settlement for local councils

Councillor Simon Galton leader of the Lib Dem's the main opposition party on Leicestershire County Council said "This is bad news for Leicestershire. Where is the news that we will get fair funding for Leicestershire? For years we have been at the back queue for government support in Leicestershire. All the evidence from this latest deal is that we are still getting a raw deal from government"

Health services in Hinckley and Bosworth still face huge pressures says a local County Councillor.

Hinckley County Councillor Michael Mullaney said "Our local NHS reported that it was having to make £20million of "savings" or cuts in 2018/2019. Tory health secretary Matthew Hancock must realise that our area faces massive cuts to our local NHS.

Burbage Lib Dem campaigners have produced a video outlining their concerns about the proposed freight depot that will threaten Burbage Common and put massive amounts of lorries on already overstretched local roads in Hinckley, Burbage and neighbouring villages https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g4bWRFDOWs&feature=youtu.be

The Leader of Leicestershire County Council Nick Rushton was again urged to drop his plans to abolish Hinckley and Bosworth and the other Boroughs in Leicestershire to create one Unitary authority for Leicestershire.

Speaking at the full county council meeting Cllr Michael Mullaney, Lib Dem finance spokesman labelled the Tory leader's plans to continue to push for a single Unitary Authority "financially wreckless"

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Vince Cable MP visited Hinckley to meet local Lib Dem supporters and to talk to local school and college principals and students about problems with education under-funding.

Vince Cable said "It was great to see the wonderful work being done at the Hinckley Academy and the North Warwickshire and Hinckley College.

Leicestershire Lib Dem councillors campaigning to save threatened rural bus services have welcomed news that a threatened service has been saved for another six months.

The 159 Roberts bus which travels between Hinckley and Coalville and stops at many local villages including Newbold Verdon, Barlestone, Market Bosworth and Stapleton was due to end in December. However thanks to campaigning by residents and councillors the County Council has agreed to support the service until June next year.