Liberal Democrats in Parliament are backing a cross-party amendment to the Finance Bill to ensure the maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals are introduced as planned within six months. Currently the maximum stake for Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals is £100, but the Government’s own review has concluded that this should be reduced to just £2. However […]

Last week was the regular meeting of the Greater Manchester Corporate Issues and Reform Scrutiny Committee. Prestwich Councillor Tim Pickstone represents Bury on the Committee: This months meeting focussed on three issues: Kerslake Report Implementation Following the Manchester Arena attack, an Independent Review of the events and aftermath of the attack was conducted by five […]

Much of the media attention on this week’s budget from the Chancellor was on some of the tax cuts that have been made (or brought forwards one year). These mean that those people who pay income tax will be slightly better off from next April. Whilst this is welcome, the Chancellor failed to grasp some […]

Just to report back on some of the questions that the Liberal Democrat team of Councillors on Bury Council asked at the last Full meeting. Please let us know if you have any comments or ideas for questions in the future. Greater Manchester Spatial Framework There had been significant concern in local councils across Greater […]

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Leader Jo Swinson MP and Vince Cable MP have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling on him to throw his weight behind a new Europe-wide tax initiative on tech giants. This urges Philip Hammond to use the Budget to set out how he will incorporate what is currently […]

Last week was the regular meeting between the Mayor of Greater Manchester (Andy Burnham) and representatives of Liberal Democrat Council Groups across Greater Manchester. Our group leader in Bury, Councillor Tim Pickstone, was at the meeting. Greater Manchester Spatial Framework Residents may have read in the local press that the major ‘Greater Manchester Spatial Framework’ […]

Commenting on the Government announcement that it will consult on greater transparency on parental pay, Jo Swinson, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “I am delighted that the Government will be consulting on putting my parental pay transparency bill into law. “This is a simple regulatory change with great benefits for employers, employees and […]

From October 2018, any new applications to seek funding for IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) services will be capped to one funded cycle for Bury patients. The decision to reduce provision in this area from the current offer of up to three funded cycles, to one, was made at the most recent meeting of the NHS […]

A legally binding international treaty on plastics is the call from the Liberal Democrats following a major debate at their Party Conference. The treaty would encompass phased reductions in the production, consumption and trade of virgin feedstock.

It would also include a financial mechanism providing aid and capacity-building assistance to developing countries. Liberal Democrat Group Leader in Bury, […]

The Liberal Democrat team on Bury Council have been successful in getting the Council to take action on the rising prices of school uniforms, in a move to help parents who are struggling with the costs. According to research by the Children’s Society, 3 million families in Britain are struggling to pay for school uniform […]