New figures put together by the Liberal Democrats show the shocking volume of personal data lost by the Government during 2007.
The Government's inability to look after personal data securely highlights one of the major risks of its plans to introduce ID cards, which would involve millions of new records of personal information.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said, "The ID card project is now in freefall, because faith in the Government's ability to handle personal data has hit crisis point - 2007 was the worst ever year for personal privacy. We need a total rethink on data protection enforcement and an immediate end to the identity cards plan."
A secret meeting has been held by ministers and Labour Party officials to work out ways of closing hospitals without jeopardising key marginal seats, the Times reveals. Concerns about the political impact of planned hospital closures and other cuts to the NHS, which had a deficit last year of more than £500 million, prompted ministers to organise the closed-door discussion. – The Times
Huge swathes of English countryside would be built on if housing proposals from the Conservatives were enacted, according to new research from the Liberal Democrats. The Conservatives have said that more bungalows and large houses with gardens should be built instead of mixed developments of semi-detached and terraced houses and flats.
Liberal Democrat research suggests this policy could lead to a doubling of the land required across England for building new homes, increasing pressure on farmland, greenbelt and other protected countryside. Building just bungalows with gardens would increase the amount of land used in the South East for house building by 134.82% on 2005 figures.
The Liberal Democrat group on Suffolk County Council has put forward a motion for the full council meeting on December 13.
It is proposing that the county council takes the lead in persuading both retailers and consumers that Suffolk should be free of plastic bags by 2010.
Kathy Pollard, the Liberal Democrats group leader on the county council, said: "There has been much debate about the problem of plastic bags recently and it seems like an excellent time for the county council to start leading the way across Suffolk.
“Liberal Democrats on Ipswich Borough Council have been doing great work with their 'Choose2reuse' scheme, now it's time to extend that good work across Suffolk.
As more and more people become conscious of the damage plastic bags do to our environment, both in terms of taking a long time to decompose in landfill and in terms of unsightly litter on our streets, they want to make the switch to 'bags for life'.
I think it's only fair that if the county council is going to try to persuade both the retailers of Suffolk and their consumers to ditch the plastic habit, we, as an organisation, should stop using plastic bags altogether.”
David Wood, another Liberal Democrat councillor, said: “There has been a lot of good work done across Suffolk by both local authorities and retailers. Although it will be tough to rid Suffolk of plastic bags by 2010, I believe it's more than possible.”
An estimated 17 billion plastic bags are given away each year in the UK and that most of these end up in landfill, where they can take up to 400 years to break down.
Environment campaigner Betsy Reid, of Waldringfield, is also urging businesses in Woodbridge, her nearest shopping centre, to reduce plastic bag usage.
(From an article by David Green printed in the East Anglian Daily Times 4 December 2007.)
Suffolk Primary Care Trust (PCT) is offering for sale the Bartlett Convalescent Home in spite of strong local opposition. This Grade 2 listed building on the Felistowe seafront has provided 24 hour, 7 days a week, 365 days a year medical care to a population of 300,000 people for the last 80 years with only a 2-year break during WW2. This amounts to about 12 million bed days of superb rebilitation, palliative and respite care for those discharged from the Ipswich and District health delivery system for the last 80 years.
The guide price for the sale is only £1.95 million, although the book value is £3 million. The closing date for bids is 15 December 2006.
Lib Dem district councillor Mike Ninnmey says: "The main question is: why so fast and why so little? The deadline doesn't give the community any opportunity to comment and is completely against the public interest".
For more information visit Felixtowe TV or Suntrap Man
| 18 April | Public debate on "What Future for our Young People" at 45 Park Rd Aldeburgh |
| 2 May | Quiz Night in the Village Hall, Knodishall, 7pm |
| August | Summer Party for Menbers and supporters |
| October | Pizza and Politics, Aldeburgh |
| November | Alde Valley Branch AGM |
| December | Christmas Party |
| 19 April | Plant Sale. 108a, castle Street, Woodbridge, from 10 am to 1 pm |
| 14 May | Public Meeting on Transport. St. Mary's Church Hall, Woodbridge, 7.30pm |
| 13 - 17 September | Autumn Conference - Bournemouth |