Hinckley & Bosworth Liberal Democrats

A budget consultation run by Leicestershire County Council has set out how the authority tries to close a possible £92million shortfall in funding up to 2025. Meeting the funding gap could mean largescale service cuts, job losses and Council Tax rises for people in Leicestershire, unless the County receives extra support from the government. Opposition Liberal Democrat Councillors have called on the government to fairly fund Leicestershire County Council and keep a commitment to meet the Council's costs caused by Covid-19 and not expect residents to meet the costs through big Council Tax rises.

Leicestershire Liberal Democrats have called on the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to allow Head Teachers in the county to make the decision if it is safe to reopen their schools yet.

Many teachers, parents and Education Unions believe Primary Schools should not reopen on Monday due to the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus more widely

Hinckley and Bosworth Liberal Democrats have condemned the Chancellor for failing to introduce a comprehensive plan to save jobs after it was revealed that 2,880 people in Hinckley and Bosworth are currently on Universal Credit.

Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine criticised Rishi Sunak's "constant chop-and-change approach", urging him to put in place a proper plan to protect jobs as the Government still struggles to get a grip over rising cases of coronavirus.

The figures revealed that 4.5% of people of working age in Hinckley and Bosworth are on Universal Credit.

Campaigners fighting to stop the abolition of local Borough and District Councils and their replacement with large, remote and unaccountable countywide Unitary authorities have welcomed progress in their campaign.

118 Liberal Democrat Councillors from across the East Midlands signed a letter co-authored by Hinckley and Bosworth Councillor Michael Mullaney and leader of the Lib Dem group on Chesterfield Borough Council Paul Holmes, to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government calling on the government to drop plans that could see Borough Councils in the region abolished and replaced with larger Unitary authorities.

Local Liberal Democrats are asking people across our community who care for relatives to get in touch and share their story - to mark national Carers Rights Day.

Liberal Democrat party leader Ed Davey has said he wants the party wants to be a "strong voice" for the millions across the country - including 10,989 people in Hinckley and Bosworth who care for those who need it.

Liberal Democrat campaigners in Hinckley and Bosworth are calling on the Chair of a new 'Levelling Up' taskforce, who is a Leicestershire MP, to ensure that Leicestershire finally gets the fairer funding it deserves.

Borough and County Councillor for Hinckley Michael Mullaney and Parish Councillor for Barwell Mathew Hulbert are calling on Neil O'Brien, the Tory MP for Harborough, to listen to the long-held concerns of elected representatives cross-party and members of the public in regards to the county being one of the worst funded in the country in a host of policy areas, from education to infrastructure spending.

The next meeting of Leicestershire County Council taking place on Wednesday 2^nd December will see a motion brought by Hinckley Lib Dem County Councillor Michael Mullaney calling for action to help ensure Care workers are paid the Real Living Wage.

Councillor Mullaney said "The current Covid-19 pandemic has shown how essential Care workers are. They have gone above and beyond in looking after elderly, disabled and other vulnerable people during this pandemic. Sadly some carers have even lost their lives with Covid-19. It's been good to see that as a society we are beginning to value more the vital work Care workers do. The regular claps on the doorstep during lockdown for Care workers and other essential workers. The Care badge that was produced for them by government.

Hinckley Liberal Democrats have today called on the Chancellor to "level the playing field" to help small high street shops compete with internet giants in the run up to Christmas.

The Liberal Democrat fear local shops hit by decreased footfall during the coronavirus pandemic will continue to struggle and have therefore proposed a new scheme in a similar vein to how the Eat Out to Help Out scheme aided restaurants.

Bosworth Liberal Democrats have unveiled the team that will run the local party for the coming year. Bosworth Lib Dems held their Annual General Meeting recently and the well attended meeting held on Zoom elected a new Chairman and team of officers.

The new Chairman is Michael Mullaney who is a Borough and County Councillor and in Hinckley and was Lib Dem parliamentary candidate locally for the last four general elections. The Honorary President is Valerie Bill, Treasurer Robin Webber-Jones, Secretary Ann Pendlebury, VIce Chair Mathew Hulbert, Data Officer Stuart Bray and Membership Secretary David Bill.

The Liberal Democrats have warned that Bosworth's Conservative MP has massively let down people in rural parts of the area for voting against measures to protect high food quality and animal welfare standards.

Conservative MPs rejected amendments to the Agriculture Bill [04/11/2020] which would have forced the UK Government to ensure that British food and animal welfare standards are maintained in any trade deals.

Bosworth's Conservative MP Luke Evans failed to back these measures, despite over a million people signing an NFU petition calling for the UK Government to put laws in place that prevent imports of food that is produced in ways that are illegal here in the UK.

The Liberal Democrats have committed to continuing the fight to protect British farmers, including exploring further amendments to the Trade Bill.

Hinckley and Bosworth Liberal Democrat Councillor Michael Mullaney said:

"The Conservatives promised to protect British farmers, but with these votes they have betrayed that promise.

"We now risk seeing foods that are currently illegal in the UK - like hormone treated beef, and fruit and vegetables produced using banned pesticide - making it onto our supermarket shelves.

"We have many farmers in Hinckley and Bosworth and everyone is a consumer. Our Tory MP has let everyone across our area down by putting loyalty to Boris Johnson's government before Bosworth."

Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesperson Tim Farron said:

"Unlike the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats back British farming. We want the Government to work in partnership with UK farmers to protect our world class food and animal welfare standards, cut greenhouse gas emissions and support the recovery of our natural environment.

"We will do everything we can to continue the fight to protect British farmers, including exploring further amendments to the Trade Bill."