The Conservatives suffered a major setback in yesterday’s local authority elections when they lost three seats to the Liberal Democrats.

In spite of the losses by the Conservatives, the Press Association has calculated that based on the November council by-elections, the Conservatives hold a lead of 9.4% over the Liberal Democrats, with 36.4% to 27.5%, with Labour in third place with a 26.1% share of the vote.

The Lib Dem gains from the Tories were at Blackbrook in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, St Austell Bay in Cornwall , and Alveston in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire.

Earlier today I received the following media release from Humberside Fire and Rescue Service:

Drivers to take caution on icy roads

Drivers are being urged to take extra care whilst driving as winter begins to arrive on roads across the Humberside area.

The warning comes after Humberside Fire and Rescue Service crews were called to attend a number of road traffic collisions this morning.  

Watch Manager Phil Leake, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service: “Crews which attended this mornings road traffic collisions reported that the roads were extremely icy. We are working extremely hard to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions. this mornings collisions are a reminder that it is crucial drivers take extra care as we enter the winter months.

“This week we have been supporting National Road Safety Week working closely with partner agencies to stress the importance of road safety to the public. This not only includes being prepared for adverse weather conditions but also not drinking or taking drugs before or whilst your driving. Icy conditions are clearly already starting to appear across the area, drivers need to be alert and take care when they’re on the road.”

There are a number of precautions drivers can take now that the ice is starting to appear on our roads:

- Stopping distances are ten times longer in ice so stay far enough back from the vehicle in front
- Carry an ice-scraper and de-icer in the car and allow enough time in the morning to fully clear your windscreen and rear window of ice and mist.
- Gentle manoeuvres are the key to safe driving in ice. Use all the car’s controls - accelerator, brakes, clutch and steering - as gently and progressively as possible. Select second gear when pulling away, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel-spin. Watch the road ahead so as to give yourself enough time to brake gently.

NOTES TO EDITORS

On Saturday 28th November Humberside Fire and Rescue Service will be at the Freshney Place big giveaway where members of the public can receive one of 1000 school bags full of reflective items, road safety comics and workbooks which will be given to all under 12s whilst stocks last.

e-factor aims to inspire enterprise across North East Lincolnshire and provides support and encouragement to individuals who believe that self-employment and enterprise offer them real opportunities to achieve personal dreams and aspirations.

e-factor are running the “It Could Be You” competition to find local people who think they could run their own business.
Do you think you have got what it takes?

About the competition

Everyone who enters will receive the usual e-factor support to look at developing their ideas.

In March 2010, 25 semi-finalists will be chosen to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges and 6 finalists will win a special package of support and opportunities (from marketing support and workshops to free publicity and other freebies). Later in the year a winner will be chosen.

All you have to do is tell e factor what’s so special about you or your idea in no more than 500 words!

The judges will be looking for special people who have good reasons to make a success of things, with a business idea. They would welcome entries from people who may not necessarily know much about business, maybe with a loose idea of the business they want to start up, but who are committed and ready to make a change.

To qualify for judging for semi-finals, entrants will be invited to attend a meeting with an Enterprise Coach if they haven’t already met one.

Semi-finalists and finalists must be happy to take part in various workshops and publicity opportunities as part of the support.

The closing date is noon on 12th February 2010.

Who can enter?

• Over 18s who live within the boundaries of North East Lincolnshire
• People who haven’t started up in business (or trading) by the closing date of 12th February 2010 (If you have run a business in the past, this wouldn’t exclude you from entering).

How to enter

You can enter the competition;

• at e-factor events and roadshows
• submit your entry online to
• by ringing 0800 9520181 to request an entry form which you can post to the address below
• to download an entry form from >>>>>>HERE<<<<<< and return it to our e-factor centre on Crosland Road, Willows Estate, Grimsby DN37 9DS (for your entry form or to hand entries in).

Judges will choose semi-finalists and finalists on merit, taking into account a number of factors and judges’ decisions will be final. The organisers reserve the right to decline an entry without stating a reason. Prizes are not negotiable and no cash alternative will be offered. This information on this publicity constitutes the rules and conditions of entry.

New television, radio, press and online adverts which tell the public what rights they have under the national Policing Pledge was launched on November 21, by Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

The Policing Pledge is just one part of the Policing Green Paper, published last summer, which signalled a fundamental shift in police accountability and reporting. All 43 police forces have signed up to the Pledge which sets out a range of promises about what the public can expect from the police.

The Pledge entitles you to:

• A clear set of commitments from the police about their service
• A local Pledge about how your neighbourhood will be policed
• Contact details for your neighbourhood policing team
• Monthly public meetings with your local police team to agree what matters most
• Access to information on local crimes including crime maps and feedback on what action has been taken in your area.

In 60 Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Pioneer Areas of which North East Lincolnshire is included, a leaflet will be delivered to every household. The leaflet outlines the public’s rights on crime and justice and provides local contacts for police, anti-social behaviour coordinators, victim and witness services and how to nominate Community Payback projects as well as what their role might be, and how to complain.

The adverts focus on two of the promises within the Pledge - that your Neighbourhood Policing Team spend 80 percent of their time visibly working in your neighbourhood and that you can make an appointment to see your local police at a time that suits you within 48 hours about non-emergency problems.

The adverts were launched as new polling published today shows that:

• over 50% of the public think they would have to wait more than 48 hours for an appointment with a police officer to discuss a non emergency matter
• only 3% of people think that their local police spend more than 75 percent of their time on the beat in their area
• 81% of people said they would find it useful to receive information which provided the contact details for the local police and other crime and antisocial behaviour services in their area.
• 77 % of those interested said that the most useful way to receive such information would be as a leaflet through the door.

The adverts will be coupled with a leaflet drop to just over 6 million households in 60 areas across the country to provide them with information about anti-social behaviour services, who to contact and how to complain if services aren’t providing what they should, as well as informing them about the Pledge.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said:

“The Policing Pledge sets out the standards the public can expect from their local force. We need to tell the public about these commitments – that neighbourhood police are pledging to spend 80 percent of their time on the beat, that people can make an appointment to meet their local police team at a time that’s convenient to the citizen.  By letting people know about these standards of service that all police forces have signed up to, we hope that people will have greater confidence to come forward to report crime and give evidence against criminals in court; because they’ll know that the police are a visible presence locally, available to be on their side.

“It is vital that we make the system less painful when someone has lost a loved one,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Stave Webb <

Commenting on Wednesday’s report by the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group which sets out policies to improve bereaved people’s experience of the tax system, Steve Webb said:

“It is vital that we make the system less painful when someone has lost a loved one.

“All too often, people who have recently been bereaved have to wrestle with dozens of different Government departments and endless form-filling, just at a time when they are least able to cope.

“A single point of contact is essential if we are to ensure that people who have been bereaved do not face unnecessary hassle at a most difficult time in their life.

“The Home Secretary should stop being an American poodle and start being a British bulldog”, said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne.

Commenting on Alan Johnson’s refusal to block the extradition of Gary McKinnon to the US on medical grounds, Chris Huhne said:

“It is appalling that this Government places a higher value on a deeply unfair extradition agreement than it does on the welfare of a British citizen.

“Alan Johnson has shamefully turned down the opportunity to demonstrate his faith in British justice and save a vulnerable man from a lifetime in prison or worse.

“The Home Secretary must now step in and ensure that this sorry saga is ended once and for all by trying Gary McKinnon in this country.

“The Home Secretary should stop being an American poodle and start being a British bulldog.”

“This is a pathetic climb-down in the face of a feeble report by a City insider”, said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable.

Commenting on the Government’s response to the Walker report, Vince Cable said:

“Government ministers appear to be at sixes and sevens on bankers remuneration. Today Alastair Darling confirmed that he supports the Walker Report and is opposed to disclosing remuneration details of individuals.

“Lord Myners as City Minister took a different view, since several months ago he called for individuals to be named. Now he appears to have done a U-turn on this issue.

“This is a pathetic climb-down in the face of a feeble report by a City insider who has fallen over backwards to do nothing to tackle the most Neanderthal elements in the banking community.
 
“Only the Liberal Democrats have been absolutely clear and consistent in calling for full disclosure of bankers remuneration above that of the Prime Minister.”

Notes to Editors
1. In an interview on the Daily Politics on 26 November 2009 Lord Myners stated that following the Interim report produced by David Walker earlier this year, one of the suggestions which he submitted included ‘naming names’ (See Here)

“With cuts expected after the next election, local government will be expected to do more and more, but with the one key component missing that would allow them to cope – money”, said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy.

Commenting on today’s announcement of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2010-11, Julia Goldsworthy said:

“It is all well and good the Government sticking to the agreed funding package for local authorities, but they are ducking the debate about future grants by not releasing this statement in Parliament and allowing MPs to hold them to account.

“The situation next year will be very different and my biggest concern is that councils will have to pick up the pieces from the economic mess Whitehall has created.

“With cuts expected after the next election, local government will be expected to do more and more, but with the one key component missing that would allow them to cope – money.

“People have a right to know how on earth a hospital can be rated ‘good’ a few weeks before such serious failings come to light.”, said the Liberal Democrats Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb.

Commenting on reports that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has raised serious concerns about the standards of care at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Norman Lamb said:

“If these reports are accurate then it appears there has been a shocking failure in the standards of care at this hospital.

“People have a right to know how on earth a hospital can be rated ‘good’ a few weeks before such serious failings come to light.

“This Government has set up a labyrinth of bodies and inspectors which are meant to ensure high quality standards in our hospitals but it simply isn’t working. This is yet another case where a hospital has passed the test on paper but where real patient safety has clearly been compromised.”

“Ministers must commit to programmes outside the criminal justice system for dealing with children, like restorative justice.”, said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary, David Howarth.

Commenting on Government figures showing a 20% fall in the number of first time entrants into the criminal justice system, David Howarth said:

“The drop in children entering the criminal justice system for the first time is long overdue.

“When you consider that Labour convicted a million kids in their first decade in power and cautioned a million more, you have to wonder how many more kids there are to criminalise.

“Ministers must commit to programmes outside the criminal justice system for dealing with children, like restorative justice.”