What Labour Councillors have been doing for you and our city in the past six months...

Cambridge Labour Councillors and Daniel Zeichner our Parliamentary Spokesperson have been hard at work campaigning with city residents throughout 2008, as shown by some Cambridge News items from the last six months... and we will our continue campaigns through 2009! See also Red Pepper for more, click here. Use the weblinks to find out much more.

January 2009/December 2008 - City Needs Better Recycling and Reuse

Labour's Deputy Leader Councillor Newbold has led our call for improved recycling, following the total lack of consultation by the Liberal Democrats on their 2009 third wheelie bin plans, AND on the waste of £1m of your money since 2005 on 80,000 boxes, several vehicles and extra collections that will all now be jettisoned. More.

Stuart has also championed reuse of bottles and bags in the city and persuaded the Council to work with retailers on bag reuse schemes for Mill Road and the city centre. More here and here.

December 2008 - Tackling Street Drinking

Labour has repeatedly supported extra police action to tackle antisocial behaviour, including calling for a ban on street drinking that the city LibDems keep blocking. We want street violence tackled before it happens not after. Councillor Kevin Blencowe and other Petersfield Labour Councillors have campaigned for action against street drinking on Mill Road, a particular problem area. More here.

December/September - Cambridge Must Have Say on Congestion Charge

Our campaign continues for a June 2009 referendum, as reported again by the News in December, and supported by residents across the city. County Conservatives and City LibDems are hiding behind the long delayed 'Transport Commission', hoping to put the issue off beyond the county elections next June. But we will not let them. More here and here.

December - Verging on the Ridiculous

David Howarth, then Council LibDem Leader promised in 2002 to give top priority to tackling problems of verge damage and local parking. Since then, what has happened - just about nothing. Councillor Rob Dryden continues Labour's call for action, as can be read about here.

November - Why has £9m of Your Money Gone to Iceland?

The Council was crazy to put £9 million of your money into Iceland bank Landsbanki including in September 2008, when many knew it was high risk and the council's own credit agency issued various 2008 warnings. The LibDem City Council now has a massive black hole in the council's finances after it followed the 'herd instinct' of councils who now look very stupid. Interestingly, no other Cambridgeshire councils were caught out! And this is not the only waste of your money by city LibDems. More here.

November - Council Plan Needed for Recession

We are pressing the Council to switch funds to tackle the recession, including better funding for CAB and advice centres, a partnership with Government to stop people in mortgage arrears being evicted, joint work with the local business community, and initiatives on building affordable housing and home insulation. More here

November/September - Why City Needs to Support Government Scheme to Provide Free Swimming for the Over 60s and Under 16s

In September, the LibDem City Council snubbed the Government offer of cash to fund free swimming, mainly for pure party politics. Petersfield Councillor Kevin Blencowe has been leading the campaign with Daniel Zeichner, Labour's spokesperson in Cambridge for free swimming and to reverse the LibDem decision. More here.

The Council and its contractors SLM have also been unable to properly maintain Parkside Pool temperatures. Why should older swimmers suffer freezing water ? A major overhaul will be needed in 2009, which will also close the pool for weeks. Read more here.

November - City Centre and Evening Toilets Needed

City LibDems have invested big sums in pretty architectural toilets. Councillor Ben Bradnack has led our campaign to improve the busiest city toilets including Drummer Street, and our fight to extend toilets beyond 8pm when the LibDems shut city toilets. More here.

September - City Needs Value Shopping Not Just Grand Arcade

Grand Arcade may have brought new smart shops to Cambridge, but we also need lower cost shops too, and a vibrant Grafton Centre and Burleigh Street. We have campaigned for more shops like Primark, which are vital during the current recession. More here and here.

October - Tackling Speeding Traffic, Including Speedwatch Scheme

Abbey County Councillor Paul Sales, City Councillor Miriam Lynn and Tariq Sadiq have campaigned for action to tackle speeding traffic, and end some of our roads becoming death traps. Labour supports the Speedwatch initiative and is working with the police and residents too. More here.

October /December - Put New Brookland Avenue Scheme Right !

As an example of the100s of ward issues we tackle, the Accordia scheme looks good, and even won an architectural prize, but Labour Councillor Lucy Walker has led calls for problems to be tackled, like a playground that new residents could not use for months and months. More here, and here.

October - Local Councillors Support Residents Opposing Mill Road Tescos

Mill Road resident Councillor Miriam Lynn supported the local campaign. More here.

September - Labour Calls for Action to Put Arbury Park Right

Even before building work stalled, Labour's Council motion won an Arbury Park review, before it is transferred into Cambridge. Development needs to deliver quality communities, not just quick profits from builders who then walk away, and local residents need urgent improvements. Newly elected Arbury Labour Councillor Mike Todd Jones has campaigned on this and many other local issues in 2008. More here.

August/September - Labour Challenges Excess Scale Of Station Road Plans

Petersfield Labour councillors challenged LibDems like Councillor Nichola Harrison who supported this massive scheme, which has now been stalled by the credit crunch. More here.

Labour's Cambridge spokesperson Daniel Zeichner has also supported this campaign, see here.

Labour demanded a proper CB1 transport assessment and won concessions. Here.

And we are dismayed that the Lib Dem Council has approved a scheme that fells all the mature trees on Station Road. We hope that delays will see this scheme changed.

June - LibDem Removal of Seasonal Flower Beds Finally Reversed

After months of pressure, the LibDems admitted they were wrong to dry to get rid of the Princess Diana Memorial Rose Garden and other seasonal flower beds. More here.

June - Survey Shows LibDem City Council Still Not Listening

Labour Councillor Rob Dryden exposed the massive fall in confidence in the way the LibDems are running city council, to an all time low. More here.

Email your local Labour Councillor @cambridge.gov.uk or give them a call on any issue, big or small, including to get an update on the campaigns above.