David Martin and Claire Jackson have been nominated to stand as Liberal Democrats for Bathwick ward to BathNES Council.

Papers published today show that David and Claire are the ONLY local candidates in Bathwick. David already has a proud record of action as our local councillor. Claire is known locally as the secretary of the Bathwick Hill Residents’ Association.

Nicholas Coombes, who is retiring this year, endorses them both:

“It has been a real pleasure to work with David Martin over the past four years; he is thoughtful, diligent and principled. People across Bathwick have benefited from his campaigns and assistance, and on the wider stage he has led BathNES Council to win awards for pioneering sustainable energy projects.

“I am delighted that Claire Jackson is standing in my place, we have worked together on local issues for almost a decade. Not only is she well known locally, but she has previously served as a councillor in London and had a national role in the Liberal Democrats. She will be a terrific addition to our team for Bathwick.”

BathNES Council is consulting on ‘options to strengthen community representation and civic governance in Bath’.

Bath does not have a parish or city council, unlike surrounding areas such as Keynsham or Batheaston; this has been described as a democratic deficit. Liberal Democrat councillors promised in their 2011 local election manifesto to make more decisions at local level, like parish councils or neighbourhood committees.

Councillors will consider the options and results of the consultation at the Full Council meeting of 11th September.

The Lib Dems are freezing council tax for the third year in a row following a vote by full Council this week to approve the Liberal Democrat budget proposals for 2014-15. The Liberal Democrat listening budget will also invest in jobs and homes for the future and protect essential services.

Speaking to a packed chamber, and over 1000 people watching on the internet, Councillor Paul Crossley (Leader of the Lib Dems in B&NES and Councillor for Southdown) said:

“This administration has worked with Communities across Bath & North East Somerset to produce this budget, which has been the most consultative budget process in the history of this Council.

“We’ve listened, we’ve worked and reworked our proposals, and what we’ve produced is a budget the freezes Council Tax, invests in jobs and growth, and protects the services that our residents care about the most.”

Council also approved a proposal to invest £1 million in a Green Investment and Job Opportunities Fund could create many new jobs in the local renewable energy industry.

The idea is for the Council to invest in local renewable energy, such as solar panel technology and hydro-electric power, which could create jobs for those projects and yield a net return to local taxpayers of a predicted 2% per year from the electricity generated repaying the investment within 15 years.

Councillor David Martin said “Our area is a hotbed for hi-tech industries, including renewables. This proposed investment by Bath & North East Somerset Council would take advantage of a culture of innovation to create new jobs, develop a low carbon community less dependent on fossil fuels and further enhance our reputation as a green powerhouse for renewables both south west and nationwide.”

The Council will work in partnership with a local energy provider that would be selected through a procurement process.

Bath Guildhall has flown the rainbow flag all week to mark LGBT History month. This is the first time that BathNES Council has celebrated the lives and achievements of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans people this way.

In recent years, rights and recognition for gay people have improved hugely. The Equalities Act 2010, the partial lifting of the ban against gay men giving blood in 2011, and now the opportunity for equal marriage have been delivered by Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat governments.

At party conference in 2011, the Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone announced that the government would introduce equal civil marriage for same sex couples. Sitting in the audience, I have never felt prouder to be a Liberal Democrat, and part of the movement delivering equal marriage. Same sex couples will be able to wed from next month, thanks to the Liberal Democrats in government.

However, growing up and discovering one’s sexuality is still difficult for many adolescents. BathNES Council’s programmes to tackle homophobic bullying in schools have recently won an award from Stonewall. To mark LGBT History week, the council has produced a video highlighting support services.

Such progress in LGBT rights strongly reflects an increasingly socially liberal society in Britain, driven in part by increased visibility of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people.

I’m gay. I’ve always known, and I’ve been out to my friends, family and colleagues for many years. My sexuality has little relationship with my political or professional life, but I think that it is worth stating nonetheless. Anyone struggling with their own sexuality, or others treatment of them because of it, should know that it gets better.

– Nicholas

The money paid to your councillors has been published on the Council website.

In the last financial year, both Nicholas Coombes and David Martin were paid a basic allowance of £7,732 for their work as local councillors. Cllr Coombes received an additional £3,555 for serving on the Avon Pension Fund. Cllr Martin claimed £20 for travel expenses.

The Council will meet on Tuesday night (19 February) to vote on next year’s budget proposals from the Liberal Democrat administration.

The Lib Dems are proposing a listening budget which prioritises the frontline services that are most important to residents and protects services for the most vulnerable, whilst still achieving a further year of frozen Council tax.

Key services, which residents value most, are being protected. Collections of rubbish and recycling will remain weekly. Funding for bus services will continue. No funding cuts for the youth service are proposed. All library branches will remain open. No parking charges will be introduced in car parks which are currently free to use. The street cleaning budget has been protected.

Council tax in B&NES has been frozen since the Liberal Democrats took control of the Council from the Conservatives in 2011. Unlike many neighbouring Councils, who are proposing 2% increases next year, the Lib Dem administration is proposing a further year of frozen Council tax, in recognition of the continuing difficult economic times.

The Liberal Democrats are also prioritising sensible capital investment which will help to support the local economy and provide the conditions for more growth and, ultimately, more jobs for local people.

Local projects to encourage growth include infrastructure developments to open up new sites for housing and workplaces, such as flood alleviation for the Avon in Bath and regeneration schemes, such as the London Road project and Radstock regeneration fund.

To find out more about the budget:

• Visit our website: http://www.bathlibdems.org.uk/budget
• Follow our Twitter hashtag: #listeningbudget2013
• Watch the Cabinet meeting at which the budget was approved to go forward to the Council: http://tinyurl.com/a83jbjl (the budget discussion starts at 58:32)
• Read the full proposals on the Council’s website: http://tinyurl.com/ba7outc

Liberal Democrats on BathNES Council have started broadcasting their meetings on the internet.

The public are welcome to attend council meetings, but now you can also watch them at home. You can see them live, or archived for six months, at http://www.bathnes.public-i.tv/core/portal/home. Currently only meetings of the Council Cabinet, the executive body, are available. The first meeting broadcast was tonight about the Council Budget for 2013-14.

“I’m proud of this innovation,” said Bathwick councillor Nicholas Coombes, “Liberal Democrats have a good record of keeping in touch with our residents in person and with our leaflets. Webcasting meetings is another way for residents to see what we are doing on their behalf so that we are more accountable to them.”

Cllr David Martin spoke at the meeting about energy efficiency improvements for listed buildings; you can watch and listen to him at 2 hours and 9 minutes into the meeting at http://www.bathnes.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/97429

Readers of the local press will know that BathNES Council is currently engaged in a number of public consultations right now.

The pre-consultation on the allocation of gypsy and traveller sites sparked a special council meeting this week, and the suggestion to restrict through traffic in Dorchester street is making headlines.

In fact, there are currently seven public consultations open for your comment, available on the council’s website. They cover parking, Dorchester Street, social housing, hotels, the world heritage site setting, houses in multiple occupation and travellers sites. Please get involved if the subjects interest you.