9 Most Recent Stories From Leek East By-Election News

Wed 25th Mar 2009:

THE POWER OF THE BALLOT BOX!

Roy Gregg writes: The Leek East by-election has demonstrated emphatically that voters can make a difference. The Conservative administration in the Moorlands were on the point of implementing plans to bring in on-street car parking charges in all the main streets in the centre of Leek with charges of 50p for as little as half an hour. Liberal Democrats revealed these deeply-flawed proposals arguing that a very serious recession was a crazy time to be bringing in a scheme which was budgeted take as much as £187,000 from Leek parkers in a year. Our concerns were that shoppers, on whom our local economy depends, would move to rival towns causing serious damage to local businesses and that motorists seeking to avoid the charges would cause yet more congestion in streets just outside the charging zone. We campaigned very hard on this one crucial issue. Can I thank the hundreds of you in Leek East ward who signed our petition asking the Tory Council Leader to scrap their on-street parking charges scheme and also those who voted for me. On the day before polling day, fearful of losing the seat, the Tories announced that 'categorically under this administration there will be no on-street car parking charges, none whatsoever.' This is a pledge that we, as the largest opposition party on SMDC, will be holding them to and we greatly welcome this example of voter power in action!

Thu 19th Mar 2009:

Leek East By-Election Result.

Full result of the election on 19th March: Green.... .91[7.76%] Lib Dem..238[20.29%] Roy Gregg SIG........189[16.11%] Ind.........197[16.79%] Con........452[38.53%] Turnout: 30.18%

Mon 16th Mar 2009:

Which Tory Can You Believe?

Sybil Ralphs, Tory Council Leader in the Leek Post and Times on 11th March - "There is no intention whatsoever to start charging people to park in these streets. This is just political mischief." Stephen Ellis, the Tory Council's portfolio holder responsible for parking in 'Your Leek Paper' on 11th March 'refused to deny' the Lib Dem allegations adding "What I can say is these charges have been discussed for some time by the car parking working body." Roy Gregg commented: "The Tories are either deliberately misleading residents or simply incapable of handling this issue. Voters should ask themselves whether, once the by-election is safely over, they can trust this administration not to go ahead with the charges as planned. The best way to fight the charges is to vote for me on Thursday 19th March. I will be an active opposition member who calls this administration to account for their many expensive mistakes."

Conservatives - "The Do Nothing Party?".

So, what have the Tories done locally in their first two years of administration at Staffs Moorlands? In spite of their claims there is precious little to report! - Remember Tory claims that their plans for Cornhill were so advanced they would start work within a year? So far nothing! Worse still is their disregard for local people. - Their corporate aim of providing affordable homes for local people is a joke! So far in two years they have built 25 affordable homes. Contrast that with the 200 built by the previous Lib Dem/Ratepayer administration in 4 years! - "CCTV will be monitored locally in Leek," said the Tory Leader. The new system will be monitored, at extra expense to you, from Chapel-en-le-Frith! - At a cost to you, the Council Tax payer, London Mill is being made safe. Roy Gregg fears these costs may never be re-couped from the absentee landlord. - On the door steps several of you have raised the issue of the pay awarded to the Chief Exec of SMDC for his work with East Staffs. Up to 30th June 2007 the previous administration had agreed a package. From 1st July 2007, when the Tories were in power, no Cabinet agreement appears to have been given for this arrangement. "Any shortcomings rest firmly with the SMDC Conservative leadership," says Roy Gregg. Is there anything good to report? The Lib Dem/Ratepayer administration's excellent record on re-cycling rates has continued under the Tories.

Leek Moorlands Hospital - More Car Park Spaces Soon.

Roy Gregg reports: Work to create 45 extra dual use public/staff car parking spaces at Leek Moorlands Hospital is well advanced, with completion anticipated by the end of March, weather permitting. Roy welcomed the extra spaces saying "It should be more convenient for visitors to the hospital and local residents alike with no need to park on Kniveden Lane. This was particularly difficult during construction work. People were concerned about access to the hospital by ambulances, because of the road congestion."

Wed 4th Mar 2009:

Tories Plan On-street Parking Charges in Leek.

The Lib Dem Focus Team can reveal Tory plans to introduce charges to park on Leek streets. You could pay 50 pence for a maximum half hour stay in St. Edwards Street, Russell Street, Derby Street, Market Street, Haywood Street, Ford Street & Bath Street. A charge of 50 pence for a one hour maximum stay could be imposed in High Street, Fountain Street, Salisbury Street, Strangman Street & Field Street. Roy Gregg, the Lib Dem candidate in the Leek East by-election says "This is a double whammy, just when Leek is suffering the effects of the worst recession in living memory this extra tax on motorists is planned which will hit local residents, shoppers & businesses alike!"

Pickwood Still Threatened.

There will be relief from residents that the broad location for housing at Pickwood will not go forward into the Local Development Framework proposals for Leek. This is as a result of your strong protest, but it would be wrong to relax our guard. It was clearly foolish of planners to think of building 130 houses on land designated a site of Special Biological importance (SBI) and used so much for recreation by local people. But says Roy Gregg, "Be aware that the very same LDF report that removed the threat of large scale housing contains this worrying comment about Pickwood '...there are some smaller parcels of land on the fringes of the urban area not designated as SBI or used for recreational purposes which may be included….amounting to 50 dwellings.' "So the Council may try to squeeze a large number of new houses onto various smaller sites in the Pickwood area. Leek Lib Dems will resist all unsuitable housing development here, seeking to ensure that brownfield sites are used first."

Southbank St Area Residents Parking Zones.

Roy Gregg welcomed the consultation on residents parking zones in the Southbank Street area. He urged residents to have their say on it, whether in favour or not, by returning their completed questionnaires to Stafford as soon as possible.  He commented "Being so close to the town centre, local residents suffer from congestion and obstruction from outsiders seeking to avoid car-parking charges. It can only get worse if Tory plans to impose on-street charges in the town centre are not halted. "A residents parking scheme could be of help, but it would only go ahead if sufficient completed questionnaires are received at Stafford by the deadline of 23rd March"

Sat 28th Feb 2009:

Local Campaigner Roy Gregg for Leek East.

Roy Gregg has been chosen by the Lib Dems to fight the Leek East Ward By-Election, caused by the resignation of the local Tory Chairman. Roy is an experienced campaigner, a former District & Leek Town Councillor, a parent governor at Westwood College, Treasurer of @21, the Leek Town Centre Youth Project, and a local Parish Clerk. Married with two children Roy has lived & worked in the Leek area for 30 years. He is a Chartered Environmental Consultant and worked for the Environment Agency to clean up our local rivers. Roy will work hard for you and will be the voice fighting against the Tory introduction of on-street car park charges in Leek Town Centre.

Earlier Stories

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