Pizza... with a hint of politics!

Today I had the privilege of spending the day with a group of young people from Peasedown St John as they met the Chairman of B&NES Council and the Mayor of Bath.

So often young people tell me they don't know a lot about politics and when they see politicians on the TV they're just arrogant and not in touch with their views.

As a young politician myself I want to try and change that formed opinion. I want more young people to feel engaged in local politics and that actually local politicians do take an interest in them.

Tomorrow is the start of National Youth Work Week - an event designed to encourage young people to 'get involved' more. I hope that today's trip to the Guildhall in Bath aided in some way to achieveing that... or if not they at least liked the pizza.

Little things please small minds!

Well, I couldn't think of anything else to put for the title but it got your attention though didn't it?

The majority of phone-calls or emails I get from residents are generally about a problem they have, something that needs to be done or to express their concerns that something that has happened they don't like.

That often can be the content of my week - much of the above! So, when something good happens, no matter how insignificant it may be to some people, it makes all the difference to me.

Here's an example - I was out this evening delivering my Lib Dem Focus newsletter in Frederick Avenue when I saw the litter bin I had requested, brand spanking new! Yes, I know for some it's just a litter bin but for me it's the result of a combination of a Youth Community Council meeting, emails to Council Officers and a visit to the site where the bin would be put in.

So, the next time you see a litter bin.....

Conservatives and the Church

Both joining the Liberal Democrats and becoming a Christian happened around the same time in my life. It was a time when I started to see a lot of social injustice around me and at the age of 17 I wanted to play my part in trying to make the society in which I lived a better place.

For me, Christian values and principles and a desire to see a more liberal democratic society go hand in hand. Both advocate a more fairer society where the less well off have more opportunities and both believe in fighting for and defending the underdog. I also see Jesus, in his ministry, as a radical liberal. He sought to challenge the establishment and questioned the conservative status-quo of doing things.

As a political party, the Liberal Democrats have a strong Christian influence within it and currently 25% of the Party's MPs are active in their local Church.

I believe that there is a roll for Christians in each political party - promoting Christian values and working along side others.

No political party should falsely boast a greater 'right' to have Christians within it or claim that it's policies and ideas are more 'christian' than anothers.

I am writing this because over the past 12 months I have found an increasing intolerance from conservatives in the Church - particularly it's more evangelical forms. Some Evangelical's find it difficult to believe that a Christian can support something other than the Conservative Party. They believe that the Conservative Party is more 'closer' to the ideas of God, biblical teaching and thus all Christians must support it.

I find this view not just 'tunnel-visioned' but actually quite insulting. I believe, as Liberal Democrat Councillor, I have been able to practice Christianity and promote it's values in the area I represent. I treat everyone the same (just like Jesus did), I activity campaign for a better deal for those that do not have it (like Jesus did) and I believe in the 'specialness' of all people (as Jesus did).

The next time a conservative in the Church seeks to unfairly challenge my liberal demoratic views I will fervantly yet quietly remind them it is 'their' Conservative Party that supported an illegal war in Iraq killing thousands of innocent people.

I guess you could say it works both ways really doesn't it?

A week in the life of....

...me

Having a glance at my diary this morning I'm starting to get the feeling that this week is just going to be 'one of those weeks'.

Don't get me wrong, I knew when becoming a Councillor that I was no longer going to have a social life and everything I did I would have to be accountable to the public for but I would love to know what having a day off feels like.

Here's a quick glance at my diary as it stands at the moment:

Monday:
9am-12.30pm, work for St Johns
5.30pm-8.30pm, attending an Open Evening with Somer Housing for Councillors

Tuesday:
9am-12.30pm, work for St Johns
8pm, 'Better School Transport' campaign meeting in Bath

Wednesday:
9am-12.30pm, work for St Johns
5-7pm, canvassing in North East Somerset
8pm, Transition Peasedown planning meeting

Thursday
9am-12.30pm, work for St Johns
6.30pm, Lib Dem Council Group meeting, Guildhall

Friday-Sunday
Attending IDEA Leadership Academy Conference in Warwick

And of course there are things to fill in the gaps such as; the path that needs resurfacing next to Bloomfield Cottages, those newsletters that need delivering, those residents who want a speed bump in Lincott View, that canvass information that needs to be put onto the database, more work on the youth homelessness campaign, preparation for my tree planting event... and don't forget the gym.

So, all in all, just another normal week really!

NRR development - get on with it!

It upsets me when I read letters from Radstock resident Stephen Porter moaning about things but unwilling to get up and make a difference himself in this week's Journal newspaper. It’s letters like this that put people off local politics and any desire to get involve in their local community.
I’d like to respond to some of the inaccuracies in his letter.
Firstly, the previous administration on Bath and North East Somerset Council was not a Lib Dem administration but a coalition between the Lib Dems, Tories and Independents. The Liberal Democrats have never had a majority on the Council with having no more than 30 seats at any one time.
Secondly, it is not Lib Dem policy to ‘dump as many houses as possible in the Norton Radstock, Paulton and Peasedown areas’. If he had done his homework he would know that Lib Dems in Peasedown, Cllr Bevan and myself, are working with residents to campaign against the current application to built 95 extra homes in our village. Peasedown does not have the infrastructure to cope with any more houses and until we see an increase in local amenities any new housing development is out of the question.
Thirdly, much of the expectation to build excessive amounts of housing in B&NES is actually dictated by the Labour Government. It is they who want to see an additional 21,000 houses in the District by 2026 – not the Liberal Democrats.
As for the controversial NRR development – get on with it!