Old Whittington

The Old Whittington Focus Team includes your Chesterfield Borough Councillors Alan Craw and Jane Collins.

The Liberal Democrat team are always happy to hear from you with your local problems and queries: we'll do our best to help!

• Contact Details for Old Whittington Borough Councillors.

Old Whittington Gala

Paul Holmes MP, Cllrs Craw, Collins and Stone with Nicola Smith, Simon Kendrick and other RAAW campaigners at Old Whittington Gala.

Paul Holmes MP and local Liberal Democrat Councillors supported RAAW (Residents Against Asbestos Waste) at Old Whittington Gala last Saturday.

Paul Holmes said, "The residents action group have done an amazing job of organising this campaign against the proposed Asbestos transfer station and I was delighted to support them"

"The Gala organisers, too, are to be congratulated on their usual annual success. The Gala was enjoyed by all"

"The County Council have still not announced when their planning committee will meet to consider this application - so it is not too late to send in your objections" commented County Cllr David Stone.

Borough Cllrs Jane Collins and Alan Craw said " The two recent fires on the industrial estate add further concern about the wisdom of putting such a dangerous material as Asbestos in the heart of a densely populated urban area".

If you would like to add your objections to the planed Waste transfer station, please write to: FAO: Kevin Finn, Planning Dept, Derbyshire County Council, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3AG.

For more information please visit the RAAW website at www.raaw.btik.com

Fighting for a Fair Deal for Council Tenants!

Your local Lib Dem Councillor Alan Crew accompanied local Chesterfield Council tenants, Paul Holmes MP and Cllr Tony Rogers, Chesterfield Borough Council's Lead Member for Housing to a rally in London yesterday. Part of a nationwide lobby day, groups from around the Country went to put pressure on the Government to try and end the unfair deal for Council tenants. Cllr Rogers gave evidence as part of the Defend Council Housing evidence session. The rally coincides with the Committee stage of the Housing Bill which is currently going through Parliament. The Labour Government has continuously penalised Local Authorities such as Chesterfield, who chose to retain their housing stock because local people wanted it. Council house waiting lists have trebled since the Government introduced the Right to Buy scheme in 1997 so people end up stuck on a waiting list for years, but local Councils are unable to do anything about it. The Government are taking £4million of Council house rents from Chesterfield Borough Council this year and spending it in other areas of the Country. Next year this figure is set to go up to a massive £5million-all of which should be kept in Chesterfield for our residents.

Footpath cleared up!

Your local Councillors Jane Collins and Alan Craw have been working hard to get the footpath from Newbridge Lane to Hilltop Road cleaned up. The path had become overgrown and was attracting litter. We reported this and now it is safe to walk along again. Our thanks go to the probation service who did a great job cleaning the area up.

No Through Road!

Residents of Newbridge Lane have informed us of the problems they are having with HGV's and large vehicles coming from Whittington Hill and trying to get through to the industrial estate. The road offers no access, but there are no visible signs to tell the drivers they cannot reach their destination this way. We are appealing to Labour-run Derbyshire County Council's Highways department to ask for a sign visible to traffic going up the hill to make them aware that this is not a trhough-road. We will let you know what they say!