Bath MP Don Foster demand tax cuts to help beat recession

Liberal Democrats in Bath have called for a cut in income tax for people on low and middle incomes to help them beat the recession. 

Inflation is at its highest for years, said Bath MP Don Foster.  Residents across the city are struggling with rising fuel and housing costs. They need money in their pockets now. 

Liberal Democrats are calling for a cut in income tax of 4p in the pound. It will be paid for by closing the loopholes used by the most wealthy to avoid paying tax.  And we will increase the level of tax on the most polluting activities. 

Too many people are faced with the prospect of either eating properly or heating their homes, and as the cold weather has set in this week more people will be turning on their heating early in the evening.  Action is needed now to help residents of Bath who are struggling with rising prices. 

Many residents on low incomes are paying more in tax following the government’s decision to double the starting rate of income tax to 20p in the pound.  Though the government was eventually forced to come forward with a package to compensate people for the tax increase, many are still worse off. 

Cutting income tax will therefore give residents and our local economy a boost at a time when it is desperately needed.

Climate Change Bill Lacks Ambition

Bath MP Don Foster voted for the improved Climate Change Bill, but expressed his concerns that it still lacks ambition and practical solutions to the problems we face from climate change. 

Don said that although the Government is talking tough, this Bill still lacks the practical ambition to make the changes required.  The Bill includes too many backdoors and technicalities which the Government will seek to exploit. 

Lib Dems have long campaigned for an 80% target for 2050 and the inclusion of the aviation and shipping industries. Don is pleased that they have both been included in the Bill, but the Government admits that aviation and shipping won’t reach the 80% target, so other industries will be taking a bigger hit. 

This is a huge challenge, and Liberal Democrats are already working on ways to further utilise renewable energy sources so that we can meet the 2020 emissions target.  It is time for the Government to stop talking and offer some practical solutions – such as by stopping Heathrow expansion.

Foster backs Local Transport Bill

Bath MP Don Foster has voted in favour of the Local Transport Bill.  The Bill, which was passed with the backing of Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs, will see more powers passed to local authorities in dealing with bus companies. Tory MPs voted against. 

Don said at this legislation will allow Councils, like B&NES, to have a great say over local transport issues, especially buses. 

The Bill, as a result of Liberal Democrat amendments, increases opportunities for B&NES to be involved in decisions about fares, frequencies, timings and routes of local buses. 

However, unfortunately Conservative MPs did not back the Bill.  We hope our Conservative-led Council will embrace the opportunities the Bill offers and not follow the line of their colleagues in Westminster.

Questions over B&NES Cabinet ‘Reshuffle’

Liberal Democrat Councillors on Bath and North East Somerset Council have welcomed news of the replacement of the Cabinet member for Development and Major Projects: Councillor David Hawkins has stood down to be replaced by Councillor Terry Gazzard from 1st November.  

However questions are being raised over the creation of a new Cabinet post specifically to preserve Councillor Hawkins’ place on the Bath Recreation Ground Trust Board. 

The Cabinet member has consistently displayed a lack of vision in his handling of the Major Projects portfolio.  From the loss of the Dyson scheme to the delayed start of the Bath Western Riverside development, there has been a leadership vacuum in the portfolio. 

The Cabinet member has repeatedly come under fire for his handling of the Southgate development in Bath.  Residents, visitors and local businesses have suffered unnecessary levels of disruption and even urgent measures, such as installing a crossing west of Bath Spa station – the lack of which adversely affected businesses on Manvers Street, were needlessly delayed. 

We are pleased that the Cabinet member has finally caved in to the repeated calls for his resignation.  It remains to be seen whether Councillor Gazzard will prove a more effective replacement. 

It already appears that there is little faith in the new Cabinet member’s abilities given that he is not being trusted with the previous Cabinet member’s position on the Rec Trustees Board.  Given that the Leader of Council has created a brand new Cabinet post to keep Councillor Hawkins on the Rec Trustees, why did she not take the opportunity to have two Bath Councillors on the Board? 

How can we be assured that the vital portfolio of Major Projects and Economic Development for Bath and North East Somerset will be safe in his hands?

Don backs small businesses action plan

City MP Don Foster and Lib Dems in Bath have backed plans to help small businesses survive the looming recession. 

Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy here in Bath.  Don stated that we are lucky to have a number of small, independent retailers, and they add to the unique flavour of Bath.  It is vital that we give them a fighting chance to get through the recession. 

The government has given a massive bailout to the banks.  But ministers must now look at the bigger economy.  Small businesses here in Bath and throughout the country generally, are suffering from the downturn.  Profits are being squeezed and jobs are at risk. 

The plan by the party to boost businesses was launched by leader Nick Clegg and the party’s Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable.  The plan includes: 

  • a substantial cut in interest rates to lower the cost of loans and investment;
  • immediately overhauling the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme to improve government support for business loans;
  • banks which receive government financial assistance adopting a new code of conduct on rearranging business credit and overdrafts;
  • developing with energy companies an assistance package for small businesses struggling with high energy bills

 

A big cut in interest rates will be a big boost to many local businesses and could mean the difference between staying open or closing down. 

There should also be assurances sought from the banking sector that additional government support for liquidity will mean resumption of inter-bank lending. 

Nick Clegg and Vince Cable have taken the lead with their plan to help businesses and we are giving it our full backing.

200 homes lost to students in last year

Bath MP Don Foster can reveal that the latest figures show that there has been an increase of almost 200 homes in Bath and North East Somerset that are lived in by students. 

Commenting, Don said, “This time last year there were 1976 students homes in the local authority, now that has risen to 2154, an increase of almost 200.  These are homes that could be housing residents of Bath who are currently struggling to get on the property ladder.  They are homes in the most affordable areas of our city. 

Despite the fact that this is clearly an issue, the Government will not let us solve it within the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS).  If purpose built student accommodation could count towards the target then we could free up these homes for local families. 

Don stated that he would continue to lobby the Government to change the rules so that purpose built student accommodation can count towards the target. 

The Government has suggested allowing local Councils to use planning restraint policies and ‘Use Class Orders’ to control concentrations of HMOs and to help create more balanced, sustainable communities. 

What we need are the practical tools to be able to achieve this, and allowing purpose built student accommodation to count towards the RSS target would be a great start.

Don Foster MP tackles supermarkets over excess packaging

Bath MP Don Foster has today launched a campaign urging local supermarkets to think twice before stocking excessively packaged goods. From the packaging of perfume to pizzas, UK households send over 5 million tonnes of waste packaging to landfill each year. 

Like many others in Bath, Don is appalled by the wasteful packaging that accompanies so many everyday products.  Shockingly, one-sixth of the average household food budget – £470 – is spent on the cost of packaging. We continually ask residents to recycle more and reduce their waste, but they are justifiably frustrated that businesses don’t seem to be following suit, and excess packaging is a prime example. 

While Don commend the many supermarkets who are trying to limit the number of plastic bags they give out, there is still much to be done to end the serious damage to the environment, caused by these bags and excess packaging, being sent to landfill. That is why he is launching a campaign against excess packaging here in Bath.  He has contacted all of the city’s supermarkets to highlight this issue, and hope that we can work together to achieve an end to these wasteful ways.

Foster takes new homes battle to Parliament

Bath MP Don Foster yesterday spoke in the Westminster Hall debate on the South West Regional Spatial Strategy on the 7th October, and called for a proper test to make sure that all brownfield sites were developed before areas in the green belt. 

Speaking in the debate, Don said, “[There is an] urgent need to have a sequential test so that we stick to the rule of developing brownfield, derelict properties first, and green belt land as a very last resort, if necessary. If we do not, it will lead to problems with developers cherry-picking the best and easiest sites, which would be a planning disaster.” 

Don also called on the Minister to allow student developments to count, saying, “Will the Minister at least reconsider the ludicrous situation in the centre of Bath, where 1,772 family homes are entirely occupied by students?  Building student accommodation on our two university campuses…would release many of those properties. Surely, releasing properties for ordinary home use should count towards the target.

Two Tunnels backing from Council must be clear

Councillor Paul Crossley, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on B&NES Council, has called on the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Charles Gerrish, to make clear that the Council will back the Two Tunnels project properly and not leave their support up in the air. The Cabinet member is free to make a decision on how the Council will help the Two Tunnels project to go ahead.  Councillor Crossley has called on him to consider the following points before making the decision: 

  • The Liberal Democrat Group fully supports the Two Tunnels cycle route project and the Council should do the same.
  • The Council is due to support the project with £100,000 a year for the next two years, but for the following two years the funding has not been confirmed – this leads to a lack of certainty for the project team and the funding should be made definite.
  • The Liberal Democrats support the proposal that the Council should act as ‘commissioner’ for the project to allow VAT to be reclaimed.
  • However the proposal that Sustrans and Two Tunnels should be responsible for “Relevant Council costs associated with the administration of its involvement with the project and documentation costs etc” should be changed.

The Two Tunnels team is a small charity with willing volunteers engaged on one of the most exciting cycle projects in the country.  It is great to have on board the UK’s number one cycle charity as well in the form of Sustrans.  However this paragraph, as written, gives no clue as to what the potential liabilities may be to the project.  The Two Tunnels team has to embark on a big fundraising scheme to raise another £400K approximately and for them to take on a commitment to reimburse the Council for open-ended costs could put the project in jeopardy. 

The Council currently has large reserves and has recently granted £200K to the Holburne.  Surely this project – which will help reduce congestion and will contribute to the Council’s own priorities – deserves equivalent support? The Two Tunnels project will bring communities closer together along a broad corridor.  Cyclists, and also walkers, will get easy access out to local beauty spots such as Midford and Wellow and conversely people from Midford, Wellow, and beyond could cycle safely into Bath to work or for pleasure.  It will encourage more people off the road.

Government “finally” takes action on studentification

Liberal Democrats in Bath are welcoming news that the Government is finally to give Councils the tools to tackle the issue of high concentrations of student houses or ‘Houses in Multiple Occupation” (HMOs) in specific areas of their authorities. We are really pleased that the Government is finally beginning to respond to the combined pressure from local residents, Councillors and MPs from across the country who have been lobbying for action to tackle ‘studentification’. 

Councils need the substantive tools to address the development and growth of large clusters of HMOs in University towns and cities – as in Oldfield Park in Bath for example – through the planning system.  The Government’s suggestion of allowing local Councils to use planning restraint policies and ‘Use Class Orders’ to control concentrations of HMOs and to help create more balanced, sustainable communities is therefore to be welcomed The Government is also looking at a range of parallel strategies for Councils to address community issues such as parking and waste. Some of these are already in place in Bath – such as the landlord accreditation scheme – and some have been tried in the past. B&NES was ahead of its time in setting up the Student Liaison Committee in 2003 to work with the Universities and the student’s union to improve town and gown relations, although its public engagement meetings and budget were cut by the new administration. 

Bath MP Don Foster has thanked those local residents and residents’ associations from Bath who have worked with us and have responded to the Government’s review on privately rented housing. Without their persistence over the years we wouldn’t have got this far. As this report is only a first step on a road which could lead to legislative changes work needs to continue to persuade the Government to give Councils the real powers they need to address ‘studentification’.  We look forward to seeing a Green Paper in due course.” 

The press release from the Department of Communities and Local Government can be found here.And the report on possible planning responses can be found here.