Lib Dems on Reading Borough Council have welcomed the publication of the Health Profile for Reading 2011 published by the English Public Health Observatories, and urged the Labour-run Council to act to improve public health.
The Coalition government is devolving responsibility for improving public health to councils and giving councils a budget to do this.
Commenting, Lib Dem Group Leader on Reading Borough Council, Cllr Daisy Benson said:
“This report shows there is an urgent need to focus resources on public health in Reading to improve the lives of children and adults – particularly in the most deprived communities.”
“Earlier this year the Lib Dem-Conservative administration of the Council set up a shadow Health and Wellbeing Board to help improve public health in Reading.
“The new Labour-run administration must show leadership and use new powers given to them by the Coalition Government to act to reduce health inequality in our Borough.”
Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group has welcomed the announcement today by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg that the Coalition Government is set to allow councils to keep business rates.
Commenting on the news, Cllr Daisy Benson said:
“It is very good news for Reading that this longstanding Liberal Democrat policy is being implemented as it will help give the local economy a real boost and increase accountability over spending.”
“As the Centre for Cities recently noted Reading has a thriving private sector and this move will help stimulate growth even futher.”
“At the moment, business rates paid by businesses in Reading go straight into Treasury coffers and often end up being spent in other parts of the country – as a result of decisions taken by bureaucrats in Whitehall not the Civic Centre.”
““This reform will give Reading Borough Council a genuine incentive to actively encourage business growth and create jobs which is good for residents and businesses.”
“If more taxes raised locally are spent locally people and businesses will be able to see how their money is spent and hold councillors to account more effectively for decisions.”
Reading Lib Dem Group Leader and spokesperson for Health Cllr Daisy Benson has welcomed the announcement today by Lib Dem Social Care Minister Paul Burstow of extra investment int dementia research.
The Department of Health has today launched a ‘Route Map for Dementia Research’ which:
- pledges up to £20 million from the Department of Health over five years for four new National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Units;
- commits the Medical Research Council to increase funding for neurodegeneration research by ten percent to £150million over the next four years to 2015;
- boosts the number of experts in the dementia field through new Academic Clinical Fellowships;
- strengthens links between public and private research sectors to identify new opportunities for partnership; and
- ensures more patients and carers get involved in research through the NIHR’s Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network which will facilitate research in the NHS and care home sector.
Cllr Daisy Benson commented:
“The number of people living with dementia in Reading is set to increase and last year in response to this the Coalition administration of the Council took the decision to extend facilities for dementia sufferers.”
“Lib Dems have long recognised this issue needs urgent action. In our 2010 manifesto we promised to cut bureaucracy in the NHS and invest more money in dementia care and prioritise dementia research and it is great to see this promise delivered in government.”
Paul Burstow Minister for Care Services said
“Dementia is one of the biggest challenges we face. It’s an indiscriminate disease that cruelly chips away at our loved ones, leaving those living with it in fear of losing the very essence of who they are.
“We need to better understand dementia if we are to counter its effects more successfully. Research is the key to developing new treatments, transforming care and ultimately to finding a cure for this devastating disease.
“We spent almost £19 million on dementia research last year. But more must be done, that’s why the Coalition Government made this commitment to increase dementia research. I am delighted that we have been able to unveil this plan to drive forward research“.
At the Council meeting this evening Cllr Ricky Duveen (Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson) will be asking the Labour Administration to detail their plans for 20mph zones in Reading. Previously this issue had received all party support and recently the Lib Dem Transport Minister, Norman Baker, has announced changes to the rules governing 20mph zones and making it easier for councils to implement them.
Ricky said, ‘20mph zones have been Lib Dem policy in Reading for several years and we are committed to introducing them where there is support from local residents. We want to see action to follow through on this new initiative which makes it easier for councils to introduce 20mph zones.’
20 mph is gaining increasing support from transport professionals and amongst the British public. The latest British Social Attitudes survey findings show 72% of adults support 20 mph limits (without humps) where people live.
Over 5.4 million people live in places in the UK committed to 20 mph residential road speeds. These include Portsmouth, Oxford, Bristol, Islington and Lancashire. believe this is coming in Britain.
The difference between going at 20 and 30 mph is real and measurable in terms of many quality of life indicators like casualties, noise, pollution, numbers of cyclists and walkers, obesity and independent child travel.
Traffic in streets reduces social interaction leading to people having fewer friends and less commitment to their community. As social support networks have been shown to increase life expectancy the group contends that creating “living streets” will increase community cohesion and improve health, as well as creating new cycle routes.
Over the coming months Reading Lib Dems will be actively petitioning residents in areas where 20mph zones could make a huge difference to life in our neighbourhoods.
Lib Dems in Reading have welcomed news that the pledge by the Coalition Government to deliver 50,000 additional apprenticeships has been substantially exceeded, official statistics reveal.
Statistics published by the Coalition Government today show over 103,000 additional adult apprenticeship starts over the 2010-11 financial year.
Reading Borough Council recently confirmed that under Coalition administration Reading led the way on apprenticeships in the South East.
Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Reading Borough Council said:
“Expanding the number of apprenticeships was a key component of the Liberal Democrat manifesto at the last General Election and we are delighted to see this longstanding Lib Dem policy now becoming a reality locally as well as nationally.”
“By the end of this Parliament, the Government is committed to supporting an additional 250,000 apprenticeships, compared to the previous Government’s plans – this will be the biggest increase in UK history.”
“Hundreds of young people in Reading have already benefited from access to an apprenticeships and this news illustrates the real commitment from Business Secretary Vince Cable and the Coalition government to help young people on to the career ladder.”
“The previous coalition administration of the Council helped deliver an addition 310 apprenticeships for local youngsters. We will be calling on the Labour administration maintain and extend these opportunities for young people.”
Liberal Democrats are confident that significant changes will be made to the Government’s Health Bill to address concerns raised by the public, medical professionals and the party.
Liberal Democrats led the calls for changes after raising serious concerns at the party’s Spring Conference in March.
The Government has completed a listening exercise during a break in the passage of the Bill to hear the concerns.
In particular, Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats want to ensure:
- The pace of change is slowed down to ensure changes are not rushed into. The changes must be evolution, not revolution
- There is no privatisation of the NHS and no special favours for the private sector. We want a level playing field, not a race to the bottom
- The NHS is properly accountable, both nationally and locally
Commenting, Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Reading Borough Council said:
“Liberal Democrats have been clear from the start that there must be no privatisation of the NHS and that it must remain universal, based on need and free at the point of use.
“I joined Lib Dem members including a large number from Reading who backed a motion calling for substantial changes to the Health & Social Care Bill when it was debated at our conference in March.
“With an ageing population and rising costs it is clear the NHS can’t stand still, but these changes are too important to get wrong.
“I am proud that Nick Clegg and my Lib Dem colleagues have been fighting to make sure the concerns raised by the public and medical professionals have been heard and addressed.”
Reading Lib Dems have welcomed the announcement last week by the Coalition Government of measures to reduce the bureaucracy for councils wanting to implement 20mph schemes.
Lib Dem Transport Minister Norman Lamb said, ‘if councils and local communities want to put in place 20 mph schemes on residential roads or use common-sense measures such as variable speed limits outside schools, then they should be able to do so without spending time and money satisfying unnecessary Whitehall diktats.’
The key changes in the process:
- Many of the current restrictions and obstacles to rolling out 20mph zones are being removed so that residential roads can be implemented with cheaper and less signs.
- Importantly councils will no longer require approval from Government to introduce 20 mph zones.
Locally Lib Dems have campaigned for action on road safety and led calls for the introduction of 20mp zones.
Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson Cllr Ricky Duveen was full of praise for the changes.
‘Thanks to action by Lib Dems in coalition government we can move quickly to implement 20mph zones across many more parts of Reading and I will be calling upon the Lead Councillor to do just that.’
‘This is an important step forward in removing some of the red tape and costs that make putting in 20 mph zones such an onerous task.’
’20 mph zones are one of the key issues in making residential roads safer for all their users, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike.’
Responding to the news that the Reading Borough Council is to reinstate end of term waste collections, Cllr Daisy Benson said:
“The reinstatement of extra collections is great news for residents.”
“Thank you to all the residents who signed our petition calling for action against this unnecessary cut.”
“We have campaigned hard over the past four years for the University area to receive extra attention from the Council in view of the waste management problems that can occur and we are delighted that Labour councillors have responded to public pressure for action”
Commenting on the news Labour-run Reading Borough Council has launched a review of green waste charging Lib Dem spokesperson Cllr Ricky Duveen said:
“Failure to implement these charges will result in a shortfall of £320,000 pounds in this year’s budget.”
“Reviewing the original decision does not cover up the fact Labour have no idea how they are going to balance this year’s budget after promising the earth to residents in the run up to the local election.”
