I welcome the launch today of the Liberal Democrats’ vision for Britain by Party Leader Nick Clegg MP. Called ‘Make it Happen’, This paper will be debated at the party’s conference in Bournemouth in September. 

In ‘Make it Happen’ the Liberal Democrats say:

• They will cut taxes for ordinary families

• If your local hospital can’t see you on time, they will pay for treatment elsewhere
• They will switch taxes from people to pollution - so it pays to go green
• To improve standards in education, they will fund extra help for those who need it most
• They will put Britain at the heart of Europe to make us a force for good in the world
• They will stop ID cards so we can keep control of our privacy
• They will change the voting system so everyone’s voice counts
• They will bring communities together with local people in charge
• They will give communities a say in how offenders pay for their crimes

I am delighted to be able to back ‘Make it Happen’. It sets out how the Liberal Democrats will run Britain.

“No-one in Dronfield or North East Derbyshire has escaped the rising cost of food and fuel. The credit crunch is biting hard and local people are feeling the pinch.

Nick Clegg has set out how we can help ordinary people through cutting taxes on those on low and middle incomes. Thousands of people in Dronfield will benefit from this.

We are taking the plans in ‘Make it Happen’ to the people during the summer to get their response.  And in September, we will be heading to the Liberal Democrats’ conference where we are looking forward to taking part in the debate.

  ‘Make it Happen’ is available at: http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/policies/Make%20it%20Happen.pdf

The planning applications (below) for Dronfield were received at NEDDC in the last week. You can follow whats happening online and object etc. An up to date list is always available from NEDDC including the current status of applications. You will need the application number quoted below for the application you are interested in and click  http://planapps-online.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_searchform.aspx 

Retention of use of former farm buildings as kennels and as a farm shop at Border View Farm Rod Moor Road Dronfield Woodhouse for Mr Alex Merryman 

Construction of first floor side extension at 5 Crofton Rise Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr Kerry Grace 

Variation of condition 5 to allow outside storage at Alps UK Limited Stubley Hollow Dronfield for Mr Mike Howard

The planning applications (below) for Dronfield were received at NEDDC in the last week. You can follow whats happening online and object etc. An up to date list is always available from NEDDC including the current status of applications. You will need the application number quoted below for the application you are interested in and click  http://planapps-online.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_searchform.aspx 

Partial rebuilding of existing boundary wall (Listed Building/Conservation Area) at 18 Church Street Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr Stephen West

Use of land as a car sales lot and provision of a sales office (amended scheme) at Lucas Works Sheffield Road Dronfield for Lucas Developments (S And A) Ltd

Notification of Felling of tree (Conservation Area) at 156 Carr Lane Dronfield Woodhouse Dronfield for Mrs Christine McGuinness

Conversion of existing attached garage into a chiropody treatment room and office at 115 Snape Hill Crescent Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr N Corner

Advertisement consent for a refurbished free standing sign at Sheaf Motors Callywhite Lane Dronfield for Sheaf Motors

Conservatory to rear at 72A Coniston Road Dronfield Woodhouse Dronfield for Mr W Seddon

Use of two wasteland areas on site frontage to provide car parking areas alterations to access and boundary treatments at Jay’s Refractory Specialists Ltd Callywhite Lane Dronfield for Mr Mark Turner

Part rebuild of ground floor garage area, first floor extension over garage and kitchen to form bedroom and en-suite at 19 Netherfields Crescent Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr Simon Walton

One of the frustrations about being a councillor when planning applications are received for mobile phone masts less than 15 m high is that they are very difficult to oppose legally

Currently, fewer restrictions govern planning applications for phone masts up to 15 metres in height, often making it difficult for councils to refuse permission for controversial proposals. Liberal Democrats in Parliament recently moved an amendment to the Planning Bill which would have meant applications for phone masts would have required full planning permission and therefore be considered in the same way as applications for new buildings or change of use of existing ones. But Labour MPs, voted against the call and Conservative MPs did not bother voting at all. The Labour party had the opportunity to side with local communities or with giant phone companies. It is extremely disappointing so see that Labour decided to back the latter. “The change the Liberal Democrats proposed in the House of Commons would have given residents a fighting chance to stop inappropriately sited phone masts. It would have meant the phone companies would have had to apply for full planning permission in the same way that any other business would need to. 

My local LIBDEM party candidate Gordon Austin gained the Unstone Ward seat in a byelection yesterday. In 2007 we did not put up a candidate in this seat. Labour fell to third place. Congratulations to Gordon and the local LIBDEM team

The planning applications (below) for Dronfield were received at NEDDC in the last week. You can follow whats happening online and object etc. An up to date list is always available from NEDDC including the current status of applications. You will need the application number quoted below for the application you are interested in and click  http://planapps-online.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_searchform.aspx 

Partial rebuilding of existing boundary wall (Listed Building/Conservation Area) at 18 Church Street Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr Stephen West 

Use of land as a car sales lot and provision of a sales office (amended scheme) at Lucas Works Sheffield Road Dronfield for Lucas Developments (S And A) Ltd 

Notification of Felling of tree (Conservation Area) at

Advertisement consent for a refurbished free standing sign at Sheaf Motors Callywhite Lane Dronfield for Sheaf Motors 

Conservatory to rear at 72A Coniston Road Dronfield Woodhouse Dronfield for Mr W Seddon

Construction of single-storey extension to rear at  31 Stubley Lane Dronfield Derbyshire for Malcolm Giles 

Change of use of dwelling from residential to office use at 59 Stubley Lane Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr John Cruise 

Construction of single storey rear extension and conservatory at 17 Gosforth Green Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr Carl Humphries 

Double storey extension to rear at 48 Hallowes Rise Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr Russell

After originally aiming to take over enforcement of car parking powers in April this year a date of 24th November has been set. At the moment the enforcement of parking [currently  a police traffic warden] seems sporadic or non-existent. Derbyshire County Council press release sums this up. “From 24th November if you park where you shouldn’t its highly likely that you’ll get a ticket for parking illegally”

I hope the system is more efficient than some of the private parking firms currently are. I still feel annoyed about threats to take me to court for parking without paying in a shopping centre to which I have never been to in a town I’ve never been to. Fortunately I had proof that my car was elsewhere all day for the alleged offence. When presented with this they backed down and said they had wrongly transcribed my registration number! But how many of us could prove where our car was 4 weeks after an event. 

The Labour Leader of North East  Derbyshire District Council seems to expect us to suspend belief in normal logic and mathematice in a letter to the Derbyshire Timeson June 12^th 

All staff are being given an extra weeks holiday this year. I can accept that it costs the same to pay them when they are on holiday as it does when they are at work. I cannot accept that having 1 in every 47 members of staff off, on average for every week of the year, will not have any impact on services – however flexible their working practices are – unless of course he is saying more than 2% of the workforce are normally surplus to requirements and doing nothing.

He is perhaps in good company – the leader of the Labour Party, Gordon Brown seemed to be convinced that abolishing the 10p tax rate would not leave anybody worse off – in spite of very simple arithmetic which showed that about 5 million people were worse off . A tax package of £2.7 billion was eventually whistled up to mitigate the effects for some of this 5 million.

The planning applications (below) for Dronfield were received at NEDDC in the last week. You can follow whats happening online and object etc. An up to date list is always available from NEDDC including the current status of applications. You will need the application number quoted below for the application you are interested in and click  http://planapps-online.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_searchform.aspx 

Construction of a conservatory to rear at 15 Gosforth Green Dronfield Derbyshire for Mrs J Offer 

Installation of a combined public telephone kiosk and ATM at 6 Greendale Shopping Centre Green Lane Dronfield for Mrs Mandy Greenslade