Why stand in Liskeard East

The  ongoing lack of inward investment and economic regeneration to South East Cornwall threatens the viability of the town and the wider area. Increasing parking charges, and now the threat of 24 hour charging, will mean a further drift of shoppers away from the town centre and added roadside parking choking the nearby streets.  Organisations who meet in the various rooms, like the public hall or church rooms will probably look for alternative venues where the parking is free.

The “good quality jobs” at Luxstowe House have for the most part moved to the new council offices in Bodmin, meaning that the local everyday purchases and lunchtime shopping moved with them, decreasing the footfall in the town centre yet again. We need investment and jobs to raise the wage base and improve the situation

We need a really strong team of councillors all speaking with one voice to drive the agenda in the new council, to bring investment and employment to South East Cornwall.

There have been numerous planning permissions in and around Liskeard. This can be a positive, in that it increases the potential market for goods and services, and may attract larger national companies to set up here, but all the people who will live in the new homes will also need jobs to support them, to pay the rent or the mortgage. Without a strong voice to drive the economic regeneration of the area this won’t happen. We also need to consider carefully how and where the developments should be built. We need to ensure that the cultural and historic assets are preserved and worked for the benefit of the area. The Neighbourhood Plan for Liskeard has been produced and is an excellent piece of work. This is Localism in action but once it is adopted it needs councillors who are committed to following that local agenda through and supporting its ambitions.

My  aim in standing with the rest of the Liberal Democratic team of candidates is to get as many as possible of us elected. South East Cornwall members make up 17% of the total CC membership and if we achieve our ambition we will have that really strong voice. Working together Mike George, Ian Goldsworthy and I could really put the case for Liskeard with some force.

Please support me on May 4th and help me to help the area that I care about so deeply.