Sam Collins - Hitchin Highbury Ward (April 2018)

TIME FOR A

CHANGE

THERE IS A LOCAL ELECTION ON THURSDAY 3 MAY 2018 AND YOUR LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE IS SAM COLLINS. Sam is asking for your vote so that, together, we can bring change to North Hertfordshire.

Over the last 18 months our area’s Conservative councillors have awarded themselves an above-inflation pay rise, whilst continuing to fumble major local projects from the Churchgate redevelopment to the future of the Station Pub in Knebworth.

They’ve threatened to close children’s

playgrounds and introduce more parking charges. And now they have decided to implement a new £40 charge for brown bin collections from May onwards.

This is a tired and inept Council, limping from one crisis to the next. It’s time to replace them with fresh faces like Sam. This leaflet will tell you a bit more about what we’re fighting for, and the measures we’ll support if elected.

WWW.NORTHHERTSLIBDEMS.ORG.UK @NHDCLIBDEMS

/NHDCLIBDEMS

WHERE DO WE STAND ISSUES FACING NORT BROWN BINS

North Herts spends more on refuse collection and street cleaning than East Herts, despite having a smaller population. The solution is to negotiate a better contract, not to hit residents with extra charges.

POT HOLES

This issue probably comes up on the doorstep more than any other.

Although the District Council doesn’t directly control spending on roads, we’ll pressure the County Council to take overdue action.

PLAYGROUNDS

Our existing Lib Dem Councillors fought successfully alongside Labour to oppose recent Conservative attempts to close 14 local playgrounds.

We will continue to protect them if elected.

LOCAL PUBS

We believe pubs play a vital role in local communities. That’s why we’re campaigning for a "pubs cap" that will limit the increase of business rates rises on pubs, restaurants and cafes to a maximum of 12.5%.

D ON THE TH HERTS? PARKING CHARGES

AND WHAT DO THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS STAND FOR NATIONALLY...

We support the British people having their say on the final Brexit deal. We support guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens already resident in the UK. And we support continued UK membership of the Single Market. Despite their posturing, the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn has opposed all of these measures.

We would oppose evening parking charges and instead work to streamline the current patchwork of permits, create new parking capacity, and experiment with alternate payment arrangements during the day.

We support adding an extra penny on income tax in order to provide an additional £6 billion of funding for the NHS. We will make waiting times for mental healthcare match those for physical healthcare. And we’ll place a statutory limit on the amount elderly people have to pay for social care.

PAY RISES We’ll scrap the new National Funding Formula and invest £7 billion extra in children’s education.

We’ll triple the Early Years Pupil Premium to £1,000 in order to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds. And we’ll continue to oppose ill-conceived attempts to create new grammar schools.

The Conservative councillors voted themselves a 10% increase in allowances last year, then a further 2% pay rise in January. We opposed both measures as inappropriate in a time of funding constraint.

Both Labour and the Tories seem to have forgotten that we face a real and profound threat to our future in the form of climate change and pollution. We will ban fracking, pass legislation to curb the dumping of plastics, and support investment in green electricity, to meet at least 60% of our national capacity by 2030.

KEY VOTING

FACTS 1. EU citizens are eligible to vote at Local Elections.

2. You can register at www.gov.uk/register-tovote 3. Polling will take place from 7am-10pm on Thursday 3rd May. 4. Details of your Polling Station will be sent to you on a Polling Card.

5. Postal voting is allowed, but you need to register for a postal vote by Wednesday 18th April 2018.

Published and promoted by Roger King on behalf of Sam Collins (Liberal Democrats), both at 2 Highover Cottages, Highover Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 0RQ. Printed by Solo Press, 9 Stock Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 5QF.

LET US KNOW IF WE CAN COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT NAME: ADDRESS: EMAIL: TELEPHONE: I will vote Lib Dem at this election I will display a poster at election time I will help deliver leaflets locally If you are able to help by making a donation please include a cheque made payable to ‘Hitchin Liberal Democrats’

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