News Archives - Mansfield & Ashfield Liberal Democrats

Conservative Budget Chaos

5th October 2022/in National, News /by Martin Howes

Many households across Mansfield and Ashfield are already struggling with the rising costs of food and energy bills. Now Liz Truss’s refusal to raise tax thresholds is set to leave the average household £290 worse off next year.

The Conservatives’ botched plans are leading to mortgage interest rates rises.

People across the constituencies of Mansfield, Ashfield and Sherwood are feeling ignored by the Conservatives. It’s time that MPs Ben Bradley, Lee Anderson and Mark Spencer stood up for local people and opposed what their Conservative Government is doing.

Liberal Democrats have a better plan. We would increase taxes on oil and gas company profits and use the money to give more support to households. We would protect local businesses by extending support on energy costs.

Liberal Democrats would cancel the cut in corporation tax paid by large businesses, investing more in our public services instead. We would rescue our NHS by recruiting more doctors, dentists and paramedics, supporting existing staff and cutting waiting times.

The Conservatives’ Cost of Living Crisis

2nd May 2022/in National, News /by Martin Howes

With eye-watering price increases and massive tax hikes, many people in Mansfield and Ashfield are struggling to make ends meet. We’re suffering from the biggest drop in living standards on record.

Rishi Sunak has broken manifesto promise after promise. He has introduced 15 tax rises on families and businesses over the last two years. While Sunak is telling us to tighten our belts, he’s wasting more of our money than any other Chancellor – ever. £10 billion wasted on unusable PPE, over £4.3 billion written off due to Covid fraud and a £4 billion tax cut handed out to big banks.

While energy bills are rising, oil and gas producers are making huge, unexpected profits. Liberal Democrats would introduce a windfall tax on the oil and gas companies’ massive profits.

We’d use proceeds of the windfall tax to increase the Warm Home Discount, double the Winter Fuel Allowance and roll out an emergency home insulation programme. We would also support small businesses and help energy-intensive industries to decarbonise.

Liberal Democrats are fighting for the fair deal that Britain deserves.

The Ashfield Independents are failing to plan

27th April 2022/in Ashfield, News /by Martin Howes

It’s the job of the District Council to ensure there is an up-to-date Local Plan, setting out how the district will evolve in the coming years. The Local Plan can suggest sites for new housing, employment and community facilities. Most importantly, it can protect green spaces from development.

The last full Local Plan for Ashfield was adopted way back in 2002. The Ashfield Independents who currently lead the District Council have failed to give Ashfield the new Local Plan it needs.

To the dismay of local people, the draft Local Plan issued by Ashfield Independent councillors proposes building thousands of houses in the Green Belt around Hucknall. Under the draft Plan, alternative sites away from the Green Belt will be left untouched.

In response to feedback from local residents, the Ashfield Independents have done little except prevaricate and try to pass the buck.

They are planning to fail

Failing to adopt a good Local Plan risks putting the big housebuilding companies in the driving seat.

The Council should put the needs of the community at the centre of the planning process by adopting a new, better Local Plan

Lib Dem priorities for Ashfield’s Local Plan

Community facilities and public services must come first.
Take the climate emergency seriously.
Respect our Green Belt.
Deliver quality homes for people of all ages and all income levels

Another Broken Promise

15th September 2021/in National, News /by Martin Howes

Mansfield’s MP Ben Bradley and Hucknall’s MP Mark Spencer have voted to increase national insurance, reducing the take-home pay of working people. Lee Anderson, MP for the Ashfield constituency, expressed some concern but failed to vote against the increase.

The increase goes against the Conservatives’ manifesto promise not to raise taxes. As a result local families and small businesses will be left paying hundreds of pounds more each year.

Local Lib Dem campaigner Martin Howes commented:

“We’re told that the money will go towards the NHS and social care. However, the government’s inadequate plans will not fix the ongoing social care crisis.”

The Conservatives cannot claim to be a low tax party. They are now the party of broken promises.

Papplewick Green – planning application for the field

27th August 2021/in Hucknall /by Martin Howes

The ongoing saga of the Papplewick Green Playing Fields on Kenbrook Road, Hucknall seems to have many instalments.

The original planning application submitted earlier in 2021 included a 3g synthetic pitch, classrooms and goal storage enclosure.

Large numbers of local people made comments to the councillors and council departments. It’s a partial victory for local people that the original plans are not going ahead.

Ashfield District Council has granted planning permission for a new goal storage enclosure.

An application for a licence for sale of alcohol and for music was submitted and then withdrawn.

Hucknall Sports FC played on the field and the previous Wigwam pitches for many years. The petition “Retract Eviction Notice for Hucknall Sports FC” gained 6,400 signatures.

The Council have handed Sports Gateway a one-year usage arrangement for the field and pavilion. Hucknall Sports are no longer regularly using the field, at least not for this season.

Many local people have expressed frustration with the Ashfield Independents over the future of the field. The best councillors know what
matters in their area, not in an arrogant way but because they pro-actively consult local people.

A photo opportunity is no excuse for not following the Covid guidance

12th May 2021/in Ashfield, News /by Martin Howes

“We won’t let you down” says the front-page headline of the Ashfield Chad (12th May 2021). However, the photograph under the headline shows us that the Ashfield Independents have already let us down.

The photo shows Ashfield Independents councillors and campaigners gathering in a large group, not wearing face masks, not keeping two metres apart. At least they are outside, which does make a big difference.

Responsible political parties have issued guidance for their campaigners about social distancing, wearing face masks and avoiding large groups. The photograph suggests that the Ashfield Independents party is not one of those responsible political parties.

In our day-to-day lives we are not yet allowed to meet up in groups of more than six people. Elected politicians should be setting a good example. One rule for us, another for them?

Martin Howes, Chair of Mansfield and Ashfield Liberal Democrats, said

“Putting politicians in photographs has always been a priority for the Ashfield Independents. Meanwhile, combatting COVID is still local people’s top priority”.

Ben “Three Jobs” Bradley. There aren’t enough hours in the day!

10th May 2021/in Mansfield, News /by Martin Howes

Cllr Ben Bradley MP has taken on a third job as Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council in addition to being Member of Parliament for Mansfield and County Councillor for Mansfield North.

Martin Howes, Chair of Mansfield and Ashfield Lib Dems, says

“There is no way Mr Bradley can dedicate adequate time to all of these roles.

Perhaps Mr Bradley will lobby the government to allow online participation and remote voting, both for councils and parliament. These options worked well during the pandemic. They might at least reduce Mr Bradley’s need to travel between Mansfield, West Bridgford and Westminster,

Technology cannot enable Mr Bradley to carry out all three jobs effectively. There are simply not enough hours in the day.”

Cllr Ben Bradley MP has not yet said whether he will be claiming the salary or allowance for all three of his jobs.

For a greener, more caring Nottinghamshire

Our county council candidates for Hucknall

6th April 2021/in Ashfield, Hucknall /by Martin Howes

Hucknall’s Liberal Democrat candidates in the county council elections are Martin Howes in Hucknall North and James Harvey in Hucknall South.

Martin Howes lives in Hucknall North. Martin was previously a councillor and council portfolio holder for finance. His experience makes Martin ideally suited to scrutinising how Nottinghamshire County Council spends our money.

James Harvey grew up in Nottinghamshire. He settled in Hucknall in 2012 and now lives in Hucknall South. James works in IT for one of Nottingham’s major employers.

If elected, Martin and James will work hard for Hucknall.

“Let’s build a caring community and a greener town” says James.

Our county council candidates for Mansfield South

5th April 2021/in Mansfield /by Martin Howes

We are pleased to announce that our county council candidates for Mansfield South are Andy Rimmer and Thorsten Altenkirch.

Andy Rimmer works for the NHS in our local area.

“As a county councillor, listening to local people will be my priority” says Andy. “I will always keep residents informed.”

Thorsten Altenkirch works at the University of Nottingham as Professor of Computer Science.

“I believe that Mansfield has a lot of potential that can be unleashed by more progressive policies; taking care of the environment and creating a more inclusive society that works for everyone” says Thorsten.

Key policies for Nottinghamshire County Council

30th March 2021/in Hucknall, Mansfield, News, Sherwood /by Martin Howes

In the run-up to the Nottinghamshire County Council elections in May 2021, we are setting out the Liberal Democrats’ vision for Nottinghamshire.

Liberal Democrats want Nottinghamshire to be a green county. We must take urgent action on climate change.

Nottinghamshire must be a caring county. The Conservatives have short-changed our care services. Liberal Democrats demand better for the people of Nottinghamshire.

Your local Liberal Democrats are determined to make Nottinghamshire fit for the future. Let’s make our county work for everyone.

For details of the Liberal Democrats’ policies for Nottinghamshire, please see:
A Green County
Better Transport for a Greener County
A Caring County
A County That Is Fit for the Future