http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Wandsworth Liberal Democrats en-GB Wandsworth Liberal Democrats http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2010 Wandsworth Liberal Democrats 2010-03-11T12:48+00:00 United Kingdom http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000030/lib_dems_choose_layla_moran_for_battersea.html Battersea Lib Dems have chosen Layla Moran, as their prospective parliamentary candidate. 2010-03-02T16:26+00:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000029/nasser_butt_to_challenge_sadiq_khan_in_tooting.html The Liberal Democrats have selected Nasser Butt as their prospective parliamentary candidate for Tooting. Nasser Butt is one of the party's senior human rights activists, a long time campaigner for the party, and one its most senior Asian figures. 2010-03-02T16:21+00:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000028/january_focus_highlights_rise_in_bus_and_tube_fares.html Publishing the January edition of Tooting Graveney Focus, the Liberal Democrats are highlighting the Mayor of London's steep increase in bus and Tube fares. Bus fares have risen 12.7% overall, and Tube fares are up 3.9%. Inflation for the year was just 1.1%. They condemn this as another Tory stealth tax, while money is being wasted on projects like replacing all the bendy buses. Focus also highlights the local NHS's plans to provide more funding to local doctors. 2010-01-22T11:40+00:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000027/graveney_focus_for_december_highlights_plight_of_local_businesses.html Tooting Liberal Democrats have published the December edition of their Focus newsletter for Tooting Graveney ward. This highlights the plight of local businesses in the recession: many face an increase in business rates. This edition also launches the petition for a 20 mph zone in Graveney and reports on attacks on shops in Franciscan Road. 2009-12-11T12:49+00:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000026/call_for_20_mph_zone_as_november_graveney_focus_is_published.html Liberal Democrats are calling for a 20 mph zone in Graveney as they published the November edition of Graveney Focus. They say that in a recent survey 57% of all respondents in the Tooting Graveney area think that speeding traffic is a problem. Complaints include both danger to vulnerable residents and noise. Public opinion is divided on whether speed humps are a good idea though. Local campaigner Jamie Gillespie says "Graveney is a natural island for traffic encircled by the railway line, Tooting High Street, Tooting Bec Road and Rectory Lane. It would be highly suitable a 20 mph zone, which should be the normal for quiet residential areas anyway." 2009-11-10T10:42+00:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000025/september_focus_published.html The Liberal Democrats have published the September edition of the Graveney Focus local newsletter. This gives the result of a recent survey of trees in the ward carried out by Focus volunteers, in which they spotted 76 missing trees. These are trees planted in streets that have been cut down but not replaced, or simply gaps where trees are meant to be planted. "Trees are an important part of the local environment," says Focus's Surinder Rhode "But here in Tooting they seem to be suffering from neglect by Wandsworth Council." Focus also reports on a new traffic petition for Church Lane, and the latest delay to the new Tooting library. 2009-09-11T21:49+01:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000024/nhs_polyclinic_consultation_is_inadequate.html Liberal Democrats are questioning NHS Wandsworth's plans to establish three new polyclinics in Tooting, Earlsfield and Balham. The proposal is contained in a consultation document that they say has too much prescription and not enough diagnosis. "This consultation is inadequate," says local Chair Matthew Green. "There is no review of alternative ideas for investment, and the questionnaire would be a joke if the issue wasn't so serious. The local NHS needs to be more independent, less political, and better connected to local people." 2009-09-02T16:39+01:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000023/july_focus_published.html The Graveney Focus team have published their July newsletter, which has been distributed in Graveney ward. The lead story raises concern about the removal of public toilets from outside the Long Room pub (formerly The Mitre), which has caused problems at night after pubs have closed. Apparently the toilets were closed because of the availability of toilets in the pub itself - not thinking about what happens when the pub is closed. Also in this month's edition is coverage of the Oyster card confusion during rail strikes and the NHS "South Wandsworth" consultation exercise...plus a regular roundup of local Focus action issues. 2009-07-22T11:26+01:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000022/graveney_focus_for_mayjune_published.html Just before the Euro elections on June 4th, we are publishing an election edition. In addition to the usual local news, Jeremy Ambache and Stephanie Dearden explain why they are supporting Sarah Ludford and the Liberal Democrat team for the European Parliament. "We need more hard working Lib Dem MEPs" they say. 2009-05-29T19:25+01:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000021/graveney_focus_for_april_published.html The Liberal Democrat Focus Team in Graveney has published its latest Focus newsletter for Graveney ward in Tooting. The main story is how the recession is hitting local businesses. "Local businesses need to be helped, not treated as scapegoats." 2009-04-09T11:10+01:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000020/liberal_democrats_launch_petition_against_26_hike_in_parking_charge.html Wandsworth Council have put the annual residents' car parking charge up from £75 to £95 - an increase of over 26%. In nearby Merton Council it costs just £60 for an annual permit. The increase was effective last October, but residents are only finding out when they renew. In the previous year the charge was £66, so the charge has gone up by 43% in two years. 2009-01-26T17:18+00:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000019/wandsworth_nhs_should_be_brought_under_democratic_control_say_lib_dems.html Wandsworth NHS Primary Care Trust, which commissions health services for Borough, should be brought under democratic control, say local Liberal Democrats. This follows the announcement of £4 million extra spending due to financial surpluses, after saying they could not afford to maintain services at Bolingbroke Hospital. "Important changes are happening in local NHS services, but local people are getting little or no say," says Matthew Green, Chair of Battersea & Tooting Lib Dems, "and we keep getting different stories about the state of finances. Meanwhile the Audit Commission rates the local finances as 'good' but quality of care as only 'fair' - surely the wrong way round in a properly prioritised service." 2008-10-17T17:34+01:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000018/fear_of_knife_crime_makes_a_nonsense_of_falling_crime_statistics.html With yet another death from knife wounds reported in London this morning, fear of knife crime is rising. Deputy Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson announced that knife crime is now the Metropolitan Police's number one priority, overtaking terrorism, and that a special knife-crime unit was being set up. Commenting, Tooting Liberal Democrat Spokesperson, Stephanie Dearden said, "This comes as no surprise when we read almost daily of yet more and more young people failing victim to senseless killings on our streets. Ministers have repeatedly claimed that crime is falling, but figures show serious attacks that require hospital admission are up. What is most disturbing is the steep rise in serious stab wounds amongst young people. Teenagers don't feel safe on our streets, which is only fueling the spiral of knife crime in this country, and especially here in London." 2008-07-07T12:32+01:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000017/another_nail_in_the_bolys_coffin.html We know that the local NHS bureaucrats don't like the Bolingbroke hospital, in their search for prestige new building projects. But many local people have rallied to its cause, with perhaps 17,000 signing petitions in its support. The Battersea Society has done a worthy job of representing local people's interests against the the various bureaucratic threats that keep confronting us. So imagine the shock of many of the Society's members when its latest newsletter came out in favour of a site in Grant Road for a new primary care facility, instead of the Boly. And this was the substance of the Society's response to Wandsworth PCT's consultation on future health services in Battersea & North Wandsworth. 2008-06-05T11:49+01:00 http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/news/000016/thank_you_for_your_support.html Wandsworth Liberal Democrats thank all those who voted for the party and its candidates in the recent Mayoral and London Assembly elections, and all those who helped in the campaign. Special thanks is due to Shas Sheehan the Wandsworth & Merton Assembly candidate, and Wandsworth member Jeremy Ambache who was on the London member party list. They both worked tirelessly to get the message across. 2008-05-10T19:29+01:00