Speaking ahead of the planning committee on July 24th, Chairman of Medway Liberal Democrats, Viv Parker said "Capstone Valley is hailed as Medway's green lung. Creating 800 new homes in East Hill which is adjacent to a nature reserve, would have a detrimental impact on the surrounding environment and drastically change the face of the rural area. The proposed development at East Hill will cause harm to a number of species and the nature reserve which is home to Orchids and will destroy an area of locally valued landscape.
The introduction of the 'Homelessness Reduction Act' 2018 places a legal duty on Medway Council to support all eligible homeless applicants, regardless of priority need and to offer help to every eligible household threatened with homelessness. With Medway based charity 'Time for the Homeless' reporting more people relying on them for food handouts, Medway Council needs to embrace the culture of the Act for all people who are homeless in our Towns. The charity Shelter supports the Act, finding that rising homelessness is being driven by growing problems with the affordability of housing combined with cuts to housing benefit. These problems seem likely to worsen in the future. The extra funding provided to councils to implement the Act, will make vital improvements to critical support being made available to more people at an earlier stage.
A legal challenge to stop the closure of one of Kent's six stroke units has been launched in the High Court. The decision will have a devastating effect for people in the Medway Towns. We see having a vital support service located an hour away as unacceptable and want a decision reconsidered as soon as possible. The decision impacts on half-million people who use Medway Hospital and the availability of critical stroke care to the 400,000 people within the catchment of Medway Hospital.
The story of the night was that the Liberal Democrats were the big winners. On Sunday, the European election results were announced with gains across the country for the Liberal Democrats. The South East secured 3 MEPs for the region, Catherine Bearder, Antony Hook & Judith Bunting. The results show that the momentum is with the Liberal Democrats message on Brexit. People are backing us in large numbers not just in the European Elections, but at the recent local elections, winning councils and councillors across the country. These are our best results in over 15 years.
Andrew Millsom has been elected as Parish Councillor for East Ward of Frindsbury Extra Parish Council, standing as a candidate for the Liberal Democrats in last week's local elections. Andrew knows the Parish well and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role, having previously served from 2011-2015 and is keen to build on previous achievements and push for further improvements for the residents of the Parish.