Cllr Michael Wyatt at today’s budget meeting at the North West Leicestershire District Council moved an amendment to the Tory budget to allow our pensioners to be able to use their concessionary travel pass before 9.30am, and introduce litter wardens to help address the growing problems of litter being dropped in our streets. Both proposals were rejected by the Tories who said they would of supported the amendment if they had received the amendment earlier. “A poor excuse to deny our elderly their rights, and a extremely poor excuse to taking seriously the need for action to tackle to growing problem of litter in our streets.” says Cllr Dominic McGill.

Cllr Michael Wyatt said, “Once again the Tories are embarrassed due to the Liberal Democrats coming up with new idea’s and new initiatives to help improve the area, and give our pensioners the service they deserve. Why should our pensioners not receive the same service as others in Leicestershire. Its wrong, and the Tories should be ashamed of themselves for not supporting our amendment. I’m sure like many of our previous policies the Tories will adopt our recommendations for next years budget like many others like the free booze for councillors, parking charges for staff, a reduction in agency costs, cut in mobile phone bills. The list is growing every year.”

Cllr Michael Wyatt has today highlighted in the local press a case where a council tenant is living in extremely poor conditions, with mould on the walls and water dripping through the ceiling. Michael has been contacted by several more tenants today asking for his help.

Cllr Michael Wyatt said, “I am totally disgusted by what’s happening. It’s 2010, these sort of things should not be happening in this day and age. The Tories should be ashamed. Clearly they do not understand what is means by providing a quality service. Im sure there will be many more cases, which will come to light. Please let me know if you or you know someone who is suffering from Tory Housing neglect.”

If you know someone or you live in a council property where the Tory Council have provided a sub standard service then contact Michael on 07773341531 or you can e-mail him at: mikewyatt1@hotmail.co.uk

Every care home run by County Hall could be sold off in a bid to save money.

Leicestershire County Council said nothing could be ruled out after a consortium pulled out of plans to buy six of its 10 homes last month. The county council wanted to transfer those homes to the private sector to save £650,000 a year in running costs. The proposal included the promise of up to four new large sheltered housing projects, known as extra care schemes, in the county.

Around 200 people use or live in the 10 homes which are spread across Leicestershire’s districts.

County Councillor Michael Wyatt said, “Once again the future of Tillson House in Coalville may be under threat. It’s nothing but a disgrace. The Tories have once again shown they inability to get their act together. All they have done is created undue stress for many families who use the current service.”

Councillor Michael Wyatt will report back when more information is available.

Exemption Service

Disabled, elderly or other immobilised residents who are unable to move their wheelie bins can arrange for the bin to be collected from their property by contacting the Refuse Section.

Cllr Julie Roberts said, “If you are unable to move your bin contact the council and they will put your address on the list of households, which they can collect directly from your property. Please contact the waste management team on 01530 454572 for more details.”

On Thursday the District Council will be deciding on their budget for 2009/10. Already the Conservative administration have decided that their proposed budget will be recommending an increase of 2% in our council tax.

Cllr Michael Wyatt your Liberal Democrat Councillor and group Leader of the Liberal Democrat members on the District Council will be putting forward an alternative budget, which will propose NO increase in Council Tax.

Cllr Michael Wyatt said, “We need to make sure we are doing everything we can to help everyone get through this recession. I have managed to put together a tough but workable budget, which will see no cuts in frontline services. I have also managed to put together a capital programme, which will see additional investment going into tackling the council’s ever increasing fuel bills, and reduce it’s carbon footprint by investing in alternative energy. I have also managed to find additional finances within the budget to meet the council’s legal requirement to allow better access for the disabled in all Council owned buildings.

I have been through the budget very carefully and found nearly £200,000 of taxpayers money, which we can re-direct for better use, and at the same time see no increase in council tax. People are struggling to pay their bills, we need to help in anyway we can. My budget is about keeping costs down, but at the same time investing wisely and making sure frontline services are protected.”

Cllr Michael Wyatt the Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the District Council has today submitted a motion to full council concerning the problems expressed by local residents over the lack of gritting of our roads, footpaths and car parks. the motion will be debated on the 26th February.

Many angry residents have contacted their local Lib Dem Councillors over the gritting service. They have asked for the service to be looked at, to see how it can be improved. Having such a review will allow the District and County Council to look at the problems of the removal of snow and the gritting of our roads and footpaths.

Cllr Michael Wyatt said, “It’s important we have a review of the gritting service. There are lessons to be learnt, and simple changes can be implement to make sure we provide a proper response that is required. Having a review will identify our weaknesses, which we can hopefully address.”

Motion to full council

Due to concerns expressed by many local residents within North West Leicestershire over the gritting of our roads, footpaths and car parks, members call upon the officers of the District to review our procedures and submit a report to the relevant scrutiny committee for consideration. We also call upon the County Council to consider reviewing their procedures for gritting, due to the County Council’s Highways Authority being responsible for the gritting of our roads.

Proposed by Cllr Michael Wyatt

Local residents on Bardon Close have complained bitterly about their footpaths not being treated after two weeks of snow and icey weather conditions. Cllr Wyatt has already asked for a review of the gritting service, which other local authorities in Leicestershire are now supporting.

Cllr Wyatt said, “Some of our pensioners are feeling like prisoners in their own homes. Even though its been two weeks since the cold snap began many of our footpaths are still in a very dangerous state.

I will be asking the council to make sure this does not happen again. The Conservative District and County Council should of made a better job of gritting our footpaths and roads. Instead of making sure our footpaths and roads were safe they shut up shop and closed. Know wonder more and more people are expressing their disgust and anger about the continuing poor service.”

Liberal Democrats in North West Leicestershire have welcomed the Conservatives plan to drop their plans for a huge hike in home care charges for Leicestershire’s pensioners. Tory bosses had planned an inflation-busting 5% rise in care charges this year but they have quietly dropped these plans after Lib Dems launched a campaign condemning them.

Cllr Julie Roberts said, “I’m delighted for people who will not have to pay these increased charges at a time when everyone is feeling the pinch, but the total increase over the life of this Conservative administration is still scandalous.”

“The hourly rise during the life of the present Council will be an extra £2.60 per hour - 43% in four years! The maximum weekly charge has more than trebled.”

Liberal Democrats Councillors in North West Leicestershire have expressed their disgust at the Tory controlled County Council plans to impose a massive rise in care charges.

Conservative run Leicestershire County Council are proposing to increase the charges for pensioners care from £8.80 to £9.20, a rise of 5%. This will mean that since 2005/6 charges for pensioners care will have risen by nearly 50%.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Julie Roberts said “Conservative bosses at County Hall are hitting some of the most vulnerable local people.
Pensioners who are already struggling to meet the massive increases in fuel and food prices now face big rises in their care charges. This clearly shows us that once again the Tory Bosses at County hall do not care about our pensioners.”

Liberal Democrats in North West Leicestershire have launched a petition calling on the Government and Regional Assembly to reduce the number of Houses and Travellers site being imposed on North West Leicestershire.

Cllr Michael Wyatt said “North West Leicestershire is being asked to build far more houses than many other local councils. North West Leicestershire is also being expected to find more sites for Travellers.

“The Government and Conservative dominated Regional Assembly are treating people in North West Leicestershire with utter contempt. Such large amounts of housing will destroy any identity our local communities have. I urge local people to sign the petition for a fairer deal for North West Leicestershire.”

North West Leicestershire is being asked by the government and Regional Assembly to allocate enough land for an extra 12,000+ new houses, and find permanent Travellers sites.

click here to sign our petition for a fairer deal: http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/fairerdealfornwleics

Following the announcement that the Conservative County Council Administration is considering a reduction in Council Tax rises from 3.5% to 2.9%. Michael Wyatt Leader of the District Council Liberal Democrat Group has attacked the proposals as ‘Tory Hypocricy and a cynical political gimmick’

Cllr Michael Wyatt said, “I think it’s time the people realised what the Tories are really like at County Hall. They waste thousands, which could be cut to help keep down the council tax. They have failed to cut our grass verges properly while trying to save money, they have failed to repair our footpaths due to trying to save money, and now they are trying to tell us they are concerned about their proposed increase due to the recession.

Why should the Leader of the County Council have a Limo and a driver? This sort of waste should not be tolerated. The simple message to the Tories at County Hall is, wake up and stop wasting our money, and spending money on massaging your ego’s.”

Remember this - Summer 2008 grass verges uncut!

The Council Office will be closed from the public at 12 noon today (Monday 2nd February). The Offices will be closed all day on Tuesday 3rd February and will open as usual on Wednesday 4th February.

Refuse collections Refuse collections will be suspended on Tuesday 3rd February. A replacement service will take place on Monday 9th February. At this point it is expected that refuse collections will continue as normal from Wednesday 4th February.

Emergency housing call-outs will still be covered. Please call 01530 454789 for urgent works only.

North West Leicestershire District Council is introducing new ways for customers to pay their Council bills. From 1st April 2009, customers will be able to pay at Post Office and shops displaying the ‘PayPoint’ sign free of charge - a total of 59 locations in the District. Customers will also be able to pay at PayPoint outlets across the UK.

Council tenants will receive plastic payment cards with their rent bills in March. All other Council bills will include a bar code that can be scanned at any Post Office or PayPoint.

Liberal Democrat and the Independent councillors voted against the proposed rent rise of over 6% being put forward by the Conservative Controlled council.

The outrageous increase will hit the most vulnerable tenants who are not able to claim any help with the ever increasing financial pressures. Cllr Dominic McGill said, “We cannot support an increase in rents when the council are still dragging it’s feet over the refurbishment and upgrading of our council properties. This rent increase is a typical step by the Tories who clearly do not care about our tenants.”

If you are having problems in receiving your winter fuel allowance please do not hesitate to contact us. We have already had a number of pensioners who have phoned us concerning this issue.

 To contact us you can phone 01530 459514 0r 07773341531. Councillor Michael Wyatt is already dealing with a number of cases, so he will be more than happy to help. 

Remember your Liberal Democrat Councillors are working all year round, and not just at election time like other Parties.

Cllr Michael Wyatt has been working very hard to secure a site for alloments in the Greenhill Ward. Many local residents have approached Michael to see if he can help. At the moment many alloment sites in the area are fully booked and have a long waiting list. Michael decided take up this challenge due to his very own green fingers, and his passion for growing his own vegetables.

Michael is today asking all local residents who are interested in taking on an allotment plot locally to send him their details so he can see if their is enough support for his idea.

If you live in the Greenhill Ward and would like an allotment in the local area please contact Michael on 07773341531 or send an e-mail to mikewyatt1@hotmail.co.uk to register your interest.

Cllr Michael Wyatt held a late summer cream tea for all the local pensioners on the Linford and Verdon Crescent Estate. Local residents were also treated to home made cakes.

Cllr Michael Wyatt said, “It was really nice that so many residents came along to meet their local councillor. Hopefully we will have another event near Christmas so local residents can have another chance to come along and voice their concerns or just enjoy the event.”

Cllr Michael Wyatt would like to thank all the local residents who turned up to the event to show their support.

Pensioners are being urged by Cllr Julie Roberts to apply for their winter fuel payments. If you have turned 60 this year then you can apply for the winter fuel allowance of £200 a year for over 60’s and £300 for over 80’s.

This year their will be a one off increase of £50 for over 60’s and £100 for the over 80’s to help with this coming winter fuel bill, which could double due to fuel price increases. Anyone aged 60 or over who is eligible must submit their claim form by 19th September to make sure their claim is processed in time for Christmas.

Cllr Julie Roberts said, “Its important when you turn 60 that you apply for your winter fuel allowance straight away. This year we are going to see our fuel bills increase dramatically and many are going to find it hard to keep up with the increasing bills. So please make sure you claim, now”.