Page 24 - Phonebox Magazine October 2015

Newport Pagnell Councillor Corner
Cllrs Paul Alexander, Douglas McCall and Derek Eastman make up the Newport Pagnell South Ward Lib Dem Focus Team. The ward covers the southern half of Newport Pagnell, Giffard Park, Blakelands and a part of Great Linford.
Refugee Crisis
Only the coldest of hearts would not have been moved by the recent photos of the little Syrian boy washed up drowned on a beach in Turkey, but he was just one of the thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Syria to die in the attempt to reach safety in Europe.
The Syrian War has created the largest refugee crisis since World War Two. There are over 4 million refugees who have fled Syria, with most in camps in neighbouring countries and another 6 million internally displaced persons.
Britain has a long history of helping refugees and the Government has agreed to take 20,000 refugees over the next 5 years, an average of 4,000 per year. Many MK citizens want to do what they can to help, some have been offering rooms in their homes, while others want to offer clothes, bedding and even furniture.
I proposed that Milton Keynes welcome our fair share of refugees, which will be a relatively small number. As the public are offering room in their own homes and Government money to Councils could be used to rent privately there is no reason that the small numbers that would come to Milton Keynes should impact on our own citizens or any Council housing used.
People just want to do their bit to help no matter how small.
More budget cuts
Now that 37% of voters, who voted, have elected a ‘majority’ Conservative Government with their manifesto commitment of more
Cllr Douglas McCall proposed that MK takes its fair share of refugees.
24 Phonebox Magazine
Cllr Douglas McCall with a 1936 Morris 8 outside the Brooklands Club.
Photo: By Ian Carman
austerity and more cuts to public services Milton Keynes Council, on top of cuts already made, has to cut between £50M and £60M from its budget over the next 3 to 4 years. That is a quarter of its controllable budget. The council has been very good in protecting front line services but in these difficult times with Tory cutbacks it might not be that easy going forward. However, the Liberal Democrats will be pressing hard to protect the most essential services. The Council will consult on its draft budget later this year, and we would urge residents to have their say.
Newport Muster
On Saturday 12th September I was honoured to have been invited to attend the Newport Muster as an invited guest and very pleased to have been able to make a donation from my ward budget towards the printing of their programmes.
The muster organised five walks around Newport Pagnell and we had good weather for the event.
I was driven, along with the Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress of Milton Keynes, in a 1936 vintage Morris 8 (pictured) from the URC to the Brooklands Club for a delicious cream team.
The Brooklands Club is a centre for the over 55s. Visit their website for more info www.thebrooklandscentre.co.uk.
Market Hill Roundabout
Your local Lib Dem ward councillors have received a number of complaints about buses having to dangerously reverse at the Market Hill Roundabout.
This is often due to vehicles being illegally parked in the bus lay-by.
Part of the problem is the poor maintenance of the white and yellow lines around the town. The white lines on the roundabout have now been repainted and we are awaiting the lines in the lay-by to be repainted too and the restrictions properly enforced for everyone’s safety.
Great Linford Railway signs go up
Ward Cllrs Douglas McCall, Paul Alexander and Derek Eastman used part of their ward budget to fund the erection of the signs at the old platform at Great Linford station on Railway Walk.
A big ‘thank you’ once again to volunteers Peter Arnold and Geoff Parker who over the last 18 months have transformed the area. It is definitely worth a walk along Railway Walk to have a look.
Follow the Focus Team online:
Cllr McCall on douglasmccall.mycouncillor.org.uk
Cllr Eastman on derekeastman.mycouncillor.org.uk
Cllr Alexander on paulalexander.mycouncillor.org.uk Please like our pages on Facebook. We are on twitter too.
If you need to contact any of the Newport Focus Team please e-mail us at NewportSouth@mklibdems.co.uk
Cllr Douglas McCall gives the new signs a thumbs up.