Leicestershire Liberal Democrats

The Local Choice Who Listens

Dr. James Moore has lived in Leicestershire and Rutland for much of his life. Educated at John Cleveland College, Hinckley, he holds degrees from the University of Oxford and the University of Manchester. James has worked in education for most of his career and currently teaches history and politics at the University of Leicester. He has been a local campaigner for several decades, serving as a member of Liberal Democrat controlled Hinckley and Bosworth Borough council, and working to prevent crime in the community.

Leicestershire County Council is responsible for highways issues locally. For the past two decades the Conservatives have controlled the County Council. Over these 20 years Council Tax bills have soared yet roads maintenance budgets have been slashed. The result is many local roads are congested and our pavements and road surfaces are crumbling.

Whilst 45 parts of England are celebrating getting support from the government's new Towns Fund, there's been an angry response to the news that Leicestershire is again missing out on support.

No town in Leicestershire will benefit from the £1billion fund announced by the Conservative Chancellor in the recent budget to help support towns recover post the Covid-19 pandemic. Leicestershire Lib Dem Finance spokesman Councillor Michael Mullaney said "This is a bitter disappointment for Leicestershire. Many of our towns would have welcomed being part of this fund to help them recover post Covid-19.

The Hinckley and Bosworth Liberal Democrat Council group have tabled a motion which calls for better support for carers across Hinckley and Bosworth, including increasing the Carers allowance by £20.

Liberal Democrats tabled the motion for the forthcoming Borough council meeting on Tuesday 23rd February calling for more financial support for the over 1,000 full time carers throughout Hinckley and Bosworth.

Residents in Leicestershire are to be hit with the maximum 4.99% Council Tax rise, an equivalent of over £67 for a band D household, after the Conservative County Council passed its budget today.

Opposing the rise the Liberal Democrats, who are the official opposition group on the County Council, hit out at the failure to get fair funding for Leicestershire from the Conservative government.

A group of Leicestershire Councillors have joined Councillors from across the East Midlands in signing a letter to the Chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for more support for those excluded from government Covid support schemes.

An estimated three million people across the country and tens of thousands here in Leicestershire, largely self employed people have not been included in past government support schemes.

Calls have been made for fair funding for Leicestershire Police. The call comes from local Liberal Democrats after figures reveal that residents in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland are being shortchanged in police funding to the tune of £20 million in funding from the government.

Lib Dem Cllr Michael Mullaney Executive member for Community Safety in Hinckley and Bosworth said "People want more police on local streets. Sadly the Conservative government is shortchanging residents in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland by £20 million. If our area's Police was funded the same as the national average we would have £20 million extra to spend putting more police on local streets. Sadly this underfunding of our Police service is yet another example of how this Conservative government puts Leicestershire to the back of the queue.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to raise Carer's Allowance by £1,000 a year, to help support 1,842 carers in Hinckley and Bosworth during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hinckley Liberal Democrat Councillor Michael Mullaney who is supporting the call locally said "I have spoken to many unpaid carers here in Hinckley and Bosworth who are doing a remarkable and important job in very difficult circumstances. A responsibility made even harder than usual by the current Covid-19 pandemic.

There's been an angry reaction to news that the Conservative County Council is proposing a maximum 4.99% Council Tax rise this year. Liberal Democrats have pointed out that if the government fairly funded Leicestershire residents wouldn't have to face such a big increase in their Council Tax.

Leicestershire Liberal Democrats Finance Spokesman Councillor Michael Mullaney said "The announcement that the Conservative County Council will be pushing for the maximum 4.99% Council Tax rise is a huge blow for residents in Leicestershire, many of whom are struggling financially already due to the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A consultation run by Leicestershire County Council has set out how the authority tries to close a possible £92million shortfall in funding up to 2025. Meeting the funding gap could mean largescale service cuts, job losses and Council Tax rises for people in Leicestershire, unless the County receives extra support from the government. Opposition Liberal Democrat Councillors have called on the government to fairly fund Leicestershire County Council and keep a commitment to meet the Council's costs caused by Covid-19 and not expect residents to meet the costs through big Council Tax rises.