Local Government - the best way to help improve the quality of life for local residents

8.01.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 15th Mar 2006

Crawley Councillor Gordon Seekings and Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell at the meeting of Lib Dem Group Leaders on 15 March 2006

Northgate Borough Councillor Gordon Seekings was at a meeting today called for by the new Lib Dem party leader Ming Campbell to discuss issues affecting local government.The meeting, with Lib Dem Group Leaders from throughout the country, was called in the expectation of a good set of local election results nationally on 4th May.

The high powered meeting was also attended by leading MP's of the new Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet involved in local government matters. These included former leadership candidates Simon Hughes & Chris Huhne, and MP's with a proven track record in supporting Local Government such as Andrew Stunell, Steve Webb and Nick Clegg.

Ming made it clear he believed that, unlike the Conservatives or Labour parties, we actually believed in giving more power to local government to improve the quality of lives for residents. The past and present record of the Conservative and Labour parties showed that whilst they paid lip service to local government their record showed otherwise. In contrast the Liberal Democrats could point to Councils where this is actually happening - a few examples being Liverpool, Eastleigh, Lewes, Cornwall, Devon and the London Boroughs of Southwark and Islington.