John Cameron Liberal Democrat Councillor for Burnage Ward, has slammed Labour run Manchester City Council for failing to introduce cardboard and plastic recycling collections across South Manchester.

Labour’s latest cynical Post Office closure plans reached a new stage in June when the list of Manchester Post Offices due to be axed was announced.

There was some relief for our area as the Post Offices on Burnage Lane, Kingsway and Fog Lane have all escaped Labour’s axe – for now.

But there was dismay at the news that Ladybarn Post Office on Mauldeth Road and Parrs Wood Post Office on Wilmslow Road are earmarked for closure. Levenshulme Post Office is also facing the axe.

The local Lib Dems have already collected thousands of petition signatures opposing Labour’s Post Office Closure plans. Now they are launching a further campaign to oppose these two closures.

John Leech MP said:

“Labour say that these closures will save money and that people can just use other post offices. However, this ignores those who do not have easy access to transport and the fact that these post offices help to sustain local shopping areas.”

Councillor John Cameron said:

“We must get them to change their minds and keep all of our post offices open. Please sign our petition to save Ladybarn and Parrs Wood Post Offices.”

John Leech MP will present the paetitions to Number 10 Downing Street in two weeks time.

The local Liberal Democrats are campaigning to restore low floor, easy access buses to the 44 bus route along Parrs Wood Road.

Previously, all the buses on the 44 route were easy access, which allowed disabled and elderly people, along with those with push chairs, to get on and off easily.

Then minibuses were put on, which had steep stairs, making if difficult or impossible for many to use the bus.

Councillor Iain Donaldson said:

 “We wrote and complained about the situation to the Greater Manchester Transport Executive, and there are now some easy access mini buses on the 44 route. However, we want to see all low floor buses, so that those who have push chairs or mobility problems can go catch the bus safe in the knowledge that they will be able to get on.”

Manchester Liberal Democrats have welcomed Council Leader Richard Leese’s proposal to hold a Greater Manchester-wide referendum on proposed public transport improvements including an element of congestion charging. A referendum, if agreed by Council Leaders across Greater Manchester, would take place after consultations on the funding bid end in October.

Manchester Liberal Democrats have consistently called for a referendum on this issue. Recent polls that showing that 86% of respondents supported having a Greater Manchester wide referendum before introducing a Congestion

Charge.

Lib Dem Leader Cllr Simon Ashley said:

“Manchester Lib Dems have been arguing for a long time that we need a referendum on such a critical issue. I am glad that Labour Council Leader Richard Leese has finally come round to our way of thinking.”

Cllr Ashley added:

“This announcement, if agreed by the ten Council Leaders, means that we can have a proper debate about the Tif bid and congestion charging. This is a victory for the people of Greater Manchester.”

Greater Manchester’s 4 Liberal Democrats MPs have joined forces to campaign against today’s announcement that 67 of 380 Post Office branches in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Derbyshire are to close.

Liberal Democrat Cheadle MP Mark Hunter, Manchester Withington MP John Leech, Rochdale MP Paul Rowen, and Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell launched a petition outside Spring Gardens post office in the city centre.

Withington MP John Leech said:

“I am appalled that Labour plan to close 5 more Post Offices here in Manchester, on top of the 21 they allowed to close over the last 3 years. Post Office branches are a lifeline for many residents, providing vital services in an accessible location. I urge local people to sign our petition against these closures! “

The Government are currently closing 2,500 branches. These are in addition to the 4,000 that have already been axed since Labour came to power in 1997 and the 3,500 that were closed by the previous Conservative government.

The offices to shut include 11 in Stockport; 8 in Oldham; 5 in Manchester; 7 in Bolton; 5 in Bury; 7 in Rochdale; 3 in Salford; 6 in Tameside; 3 in Trafford and 1 in Wigan.

 In South Manchester, Ladybarn Post Office on Mauldeth Road and East Didsbury Post Office on Wilmslow Road are now earmarked to close, making life harder for local people and underming the viability of nearby local shops.

 Councillor John Cameron said:

“We will fight tooth and nail to stop these closures. These Post Offices are needed by the people of South Manchester and Labour are wrong to close them on so-called economic grounds.”

CCTV and other security measures are going to be installed at Burnage and Mauldeth Road Stations, after pressure from the Lib Dems.John Cameron and John Leech have also been working together on a Rail Users Survey to find out peoples views and experiences of public transport in the area. If you would like a survey to fill in, just get in touch and we will post one out to you.

The Labour run City Council have paid out compensation to people who have tripped on broken pavements a staggering 1,473 time since 2000. The average payout is £3290.John Cameron said:“Labour’s policy of only patching up the worst potholes is a false economy. They should properly resurface all the roads and pavements that need it. They could have used the £5M of taxpayers money that they have thrown away since 2000 to do the work.”

John Cameron and the Liberal Democrats are calling on the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) to improve bus services to parts of our area which are poorly served at present.John says:“The bus service along Kingsway is pretty good during the day, but services along Errwood Road, Parrs Wood Road and Burnage Lane, south of Green End Road are much less frequent. However, instead of these routes having more buses put on them, some services have actually been cut.“This is not good enough. I have written to the GPMTE to complain about the service cuts and to ask for assurances that no other services will be cut. I have also asked for improvements in the timetables for these services .”

Figures show that the council house waiting list in the Manchester has grown again.Since Labour came to power in 1997 the waiting list in the City has increased by a staggering 86%.Councillor John Cameron said:“Access to affordable, decent housing is a right, not a privilege, but Labour have left too many people in South Manchester inadequately housed.“There are now over 18,000 families on the waiting list in Manchester. I know from my advice surgeries that many are stuck in overcrowded or very unsuitable accommodation, with no real chance of being properly rehoused in the near future.”

Cllr John Cameron has been working with John Leech MP to ensure that Tesco honour their commitment to build a new medical centre for our community. John says: “We have met with the doctors and have held a series of meetings with planning officers to ensure that Tesco are not left off the hook, and build the new medical centre, as promised.”