http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Stroud Liberal Democrats en-GB Stroud Liberal Democrats http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Stroud Liberal Democrats 2008-07-08T21:58+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000025/local_lib_dems_reject_nuclear_power.html The Government wants to introduce a new generation of nuclear power stations. It claims that we need to 'keep the lights on' and that nuclear is 'carbon free'. Putting the issue of thousands of years of radioactive waste to one side, the earliest time a reactor could realistically come on line is 2020. Too late to keep the lights on! We need to invest heavily in clean energy sources, such as carbon capture, wind, solar and other renewables. Most energy loss occurs at the point of generation and through transmission. We need to decentralise our grid and encourage conservation in existing, as well as new, buildings. 2008-02-02T18:10+00:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000026/canal_meets_bath_road_a46.html Work to open up the canal at Wallbridge is due later this year, but no decision has yet been taken regarding which of the schemes for the A46 canal crossing and the remodelling of the Merrywalks roundabout will be implemented. 2008-02-02T06:10+00:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000023/ambulance_service_response_times.html Ambulance Service 2008-01-01T22:00+00:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000022/traffic_in_silver_street.html Cllr Brian Marsh is making a survey to add weight to the case for overcoming the Silver Street "pinch-point". He asks:- 2008-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000024/sainsburys_comes_to_dursley.html Many of us are wondering if there is another Tesco saga in the making with the lack of activity with the building of Dursley's new Sainsburys Supermarket. There are delays but Dursley will have a brand new environmentally friendly Sainsburys open in 2009. 2007-12-18T01:39+00:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000021/the_fate_of_weavers_croft.html The Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, has now taken the decision to centralise Gloucestershire's mental health care. Weavers Croft is set to lose its inpatient beds to Charlton Lane in Cheltenham. Weavers Croft will still be used as a centre for providing care to older patients in their own homes. Stroud Liberal Democrats regret the need for such change. Andrew Fisk said 'It's a shame that local facilities have to be transferred. How are patients and carers going to cope with a thirty-mile round trip? This plan is seriously misguided.. If these proposals do go ahead the NHS must do more to help travel arrangements for carers.' Cllr Christine Headley said, 'Our petition proved that feeling in Rodborough ran high against the proposed cuts. It is good that the Maternity Hospital and beds at Stroud Hospital have been saved for the time being, but the loss of beds at Weavers Croft is a disappointment.' 2007-09-11T21:32+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000020/local_lib_dems_clean_up_common.html Liberal Democrats in Rodborough have received numerous complaints about litter on Rodborough common. In response to this campaigners Andrew Fisk and Sylvia Bridgland undertook a 'Litter pick." Cans, bottles and fast food packages were amongst the garbage. Chairman of Rodborough Branch Liberal Democrats, Andrew Fisk said "We did the job this time round but really visitors to the common need to be responsible for their own rubbish. Producers of packaging must also share some of the responsibility." 2007-09-10T18:39+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000019/120_houses_proposed_for_fromehall_park.html District Council Planners have now received an outline planning application for 120 houses at Frome-hall Park. The consultation period has now begun. Andrew Fisk will be leading for the Liberal Democrats on this for the moment, as Parish Councillor Christine Headley is Chair of the Parish's Planning and Transportation Committee, said "Rodborough lacks green space areas as it is. Fromehall Park is not the place to build a mass of housing, certainly not at the expense of a sport facility." Cllr Christine Headley said, "Even a hundred houses seemed too many for the site, particularly given the amount of traffic we would expect them to generate so close to a tricky junction." 2007-09-08T13:58+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000018/flooding_hits_stroud.html For the second time in the space of a month freak weather has caused extensive flooding in Gloucestershire. Stroud has been hard hit, with streams, rivers and the Canal all breaking their banks and flooding homes and work places. 2007-07-22T21:34+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000017/one_million_new_affordable_homes_by_2017.html Over one and a half million people are in need of housing in the UK. The problems of run away house price inflation are well known. There is not enough affordable housing or social housing to cope with the demand. When housing is built, too often it is of the wrong type. 2007-07-11T18:56+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000016/stroud_health_update.html Thanks to the efforts of many concerned members of the public Stroud Maternity Hospital appears to be safe. At least for the time being. The fate of Weavers Croft still seems to be in the balance with ongoing talks going on between Gloucestershire Partnership Trust and the South West Strategic Health Authority. At the time of writing no agreement has been reached and the matter has been referred to Secretary of State. 2007-06-27T21:00+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000015/how_temporary_is_our_temporary_bus_station.html Does Stroud need a "Permanent" Bus Station? And if so, where should it be located? Several years ago plans were made to have a permanent Bus/Railway Facility (the "Interchange") alongside the site of the existing Railway Station in Stroud. Some people have raised concerns with this idea, largely to do with limitations on accessing the area and there are alternative ideas for the site. The interchange would be convenient to Stroud Town Centre and would link Bus, Rail and Taxi in one location. Other ideas including possible park and ride schemes, and improvements to the current Merrywalks site, have been proposed. What do you think? Stroud Liberal Democrats would like to hear from you. 2007-05-31T20:49+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000014/liberal_democrats_win_rodborough_and_wotton.html The Voters of Stroud District cast their votes in the local elections last Thursday (3rd May 2007) Liberal Democrat Councillor Paul Smith was re-elected in Wotton-under-edge and Christine Headley became Rodborough's new District Councillor by 5 votes! Elections also took place in 6 out of 35 Parish and Town wards. Liberal Democrat Andrew Fisk was elected to the Stroud Town Council for the ward of Stroud Central. Full results can be found on the Stroud District Council website www.stroud.gov.uk 2007-05-07T15:41+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000013/liberal_democrats_in_stroud_district_elections.html Your local Lib Dems are standing in the Local Elections. We are contesting seats from Dursley through to Rodborough. Every vote increases the influence we have to work for you. Polling Day is the 3rd May. 2007-04-03T04:00+01:00 http://www.stroudlibdems.org.uk/news/000002/public_debate_on_nhs__connecting_with_the_public__sept_6__stroud.html The Stroud Liberal Democrats held a public debate on the future of the NHS in the George Room of the Stroud Subscription Rooms on 6 September at 6.30 pm. The panel of politicians and health professionals consisted of : Steve Webb MP, the Lib Dem parliamentary health spokesman, David Drew MP for Stroud, Dr Jonathan Steel, of the 'SAVE STROUD HOSPITALS CAMPAIGN', Dr Anne-Marie Marlow, Minchinhampton GP, Cllr Dennis Andrewartha, leader of Stroud Liberal Democrats. And was chaired by Lib Dem Councillor Keith Ardron. 2006-09-09T00:00+01:00