http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Cheltenham Liberal Democrats en-GB Cheltenham Liberal Democrats http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Cheltenham Liberal Democrats 2008-07-04T01:56+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000186/hero_claude_welcomed_to_parliament.html LEADING WHADDON RESIDENT Claude Bullingham has been welcomed in Parliament as a local hero by Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood and specialist agency The Experience Corps. He was nominated by Martin as a local hero to attend an event designed to highlight the contribution of older volunteers to local communities. Heroes were treated to tea in the House of Commons and a certificate celebrating their achievement. 2008-07-01T17:08+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000185/council_backs_doubling_of_trains_in_gloucestershire.html Liberal Democrat plan wins Council backing. 2008-06-26T14:18+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000184/spice_lodge_restaurant_wins_a_place_in_final_of_the_tilda_tiffin.html Festival of Curry at the House of Commons on Wednesday 09 July - 2008-06-26T12:54+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000183/martin_in_it_first.html CHELTENHAM MP Martin Horwood today became the first MP to use a computer during parliamentary proceedings. The occasion was the first day of the committee stage deliberations on the Climate Change Bill and Martin took his place in Committee Room 9 of the House of Commons as Lib Dem shadow environment minister. He was able to log on because the Climate Change Bill has been selected to pilot the use of laptops in parliamentary committees. Martin was recognised by environment minister Phil Woolas as the first member to take up the opportunity although Conservative David Maclean later staked his claim too. 2008-06-24T15:08+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000182/council_debates_pension_option.html The full meeting of the County Council tomorrow will debate the issue of making a pension scheme available for councillors. Local people who wish to become councillors risk losing pensions rights by committing to spending time in public service. The council needs better representation from working people, young women with families, people from ethnic minorities and those on modest incomes. Currently if a person takes unpaid time off work they may suffer loss of pension rights and national insurance contributions. 2008-06-24T14:53+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000181/county_council_committee_backs_waste_incinerator.html Liberal Democrats challenge to the county council's plan to build a huge waste incinerator was stopped when Conservative councillors refused to carry out a thorough review of the project. 2008-06-24T12:46+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000180/martin_backs_bill_brysons_litter_campaign.html Martin Horwood MP this week hosted a reception in Parliament to launch Stop the Drop, the new campaign against countryside litter and fly-tipping by CPRE [1]. The campaign is being fronted by the charity's President, author Bill Bryson. Martin is a longstanding member of CPRE and its local affiliate the Leckhampton Green Land Action Group. 2008-06-20T12:21+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000179/liberal_democrats_lead_countywide_support_for_post_offices.html Gloucestershire County Council has passed a motion deploring the widespread closure of Gloucestershire Post Offices. 2008-05-27T12:32+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000178/martin_exercises_his_lungs.html Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood helped the British Lung Foundation to raise awareness of the importance of healthy lungs at the House of Commons on Wednesday 7th May. 2008-05-22T17:17+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000177/tories_continue_with_incinerator_plan.html At the annual meeting of Gloucestershire County Council, Conservative Party Councillors have continued down the slippery slope to building a 270,000 tonne waste incinerator on Javelin Park. 2008-05-22T10:34+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000176/martin_greets_dalai_lama.html CHELTENHAM MP Martin Horwood today greeted exiled Tibetan leader The Dalai Lama at a meeting in Parliament. Martin first saw the Tibetan leader in person more than ten years ago at a meeting in India when he worked there for development charity Oxfam. When elected as an MP, he quickly joined the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet and has raised questions in the House about British support for Tibetan autonomy. 2008-05-21T16:17+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000175/uturn_welcomed_on_cash_for_homes.html LOCAL LIBERAL DEMOCRAT leaders have welcomed the dramatic u-turn by Conservative-run Gloucestershire County Council, which has today announced that it has withdrawn its support for the government's 'Growth Point' status in the wake of the Lib Dem victory in the local elections on 1 May. Growth Point status would have accelerated and promoted development on green spaces around Cheltenham and Gloucester. New Lib Dem council leader Cllr Steve Jordan and Lib Dem MP Martin Horwood have both greeted the climb-down as a victory for people power. But the Regional Spatial Strategy still earmarks areas south and north-west of Cheltenham for long-term development. 2008-05-21T14:11+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000173/liberal_democrats_demand_review_of_incinerator_plan.html The Liberal Democrat group on Gloucestershire County Council have written to the Chief Executive of the Council, Pete Bungard, requesting a 'Post Implementation Review' of the waste Outline Business Case submitted to the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs. 2008-05-15T11:41+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000172/tories_push_through_triservice_closure.html Conservative Councillors on Gloucestershire County Council today moved towards closing the Tri-Service fire control at Quedgeley. 2008-05-12T12:14+01:00 http://www.cheltlibdems.org.uk/news/000171/new_lib_dem_team_for_cheltenham.html Following the elections in Cheltenham on 1st May there have been discussions ahead of the 8th May meeting of the council to decide what happens next. 2008-05-08T15:53+01:00