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    • Liberal Democrats will tackle homelessness
      Labour cannot be trusted on rough sleeping in Birmingham
      Article: Mar 27, 2018

      Responding to a pledge from that a Labour-run Birmingham City Council will end rough-sleeping, Ladywood Liberal Democrat Council candidates Lee Dargue and Stephen Lambert hit back, releasing data from an FOI request showing that the problem is growing, not reducing under Labour.

      Lee Dargue, who works on Mental Health and Drugs campaigns said: "It's easy to sit and blame central government for a problem on your own doorstep - but Labour have consistently mismanaged money in Birmingham. Despite the pledge to end rough-sleeping, temporary accommodation spending in the City went up by £8million pounds last year. This is not acceptable. It's outrageous that despite apparently wanting to tackle the causes and issues around rough-sleeping - there is absolutely no reference to mental health or drug use. It's great to see that the PCC has called for drug use to be tackled with an approach via harm-reduction (which I support fully) but for Labour Councillors to be silent on this most urgent of needs is frankly appalling. And where is Mental Health? Labour seem to not even have it as a priority."

      Stephen Lambert, who has worked with charities in the City to support rough-sleepers, said: "Labour say they want to end the use of B&Bs for temporary accommodation - but they spent £17million on B&Bs in 2017, an increase of about 50% from 2016. So where is everyone going to go? Labour pledged to support the Homelessness program from the WMCA - but so far we seem to have no money - it can't run on magic. The idea that a "Charter of rights" will be made-up to ensure cases of homelessness will be dealt with swiftly is scandalous. Stop wasting time with Charters and just deal with people properly and swiftly because it's the right thing to do. If Labour can't trust themselves to handle homelessness without a written charter, then how can anyone else in Birmingham? The scandal of rough-sleeping must end, and we can't leave it to Birmingham Labour to let it keep growing."

      Jon Hunt, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Birmingham City Council, added: "Lib Dems put forward proposals last month for the investment needed to provide temporary accommodation for those made homeless. This was rejected by Labour. This is all crocodile tears."

    • Lee Dargue
      Liberal Democrats NHS funding model supported by other Parties
      Article: Mar 26, 2018

      Responding to the cross-party backing for the Liberal Democrat Dem NHS funding policy, Health Spokesperson in the West Midlands, Lee Dargue said:

      "We are hearing regular commentary that the Prime Minister is slowly accepting the NHS funding crisis is real. If so, this is a step forward.

      "We cannot, however, sit around and wait for Brexit, which itself would worsen the crisis, starving the NHS of the money it desperately needs. We cannot allow another winter of cancelled operations, patients stranded on trollies and ambulances queuing for hours outside A&E departments. The strain on NHS and Care staff is also way above worrying levels.

      "In the short-term, the Liberal Democrats have argued that we must raise vital extra revenue for the NHS and social care by putting up income tax by a penny in the pound. This has been gaining popular support, so it should be implemented.

      "We must look also look at a dedicated NHS and Care Tax, for the future of the NHS and Care. We cannot allow the crisis to continue. I'm proud that LibDems continue to lead the debate on Health and Care and I'm even happier if it leads to long-term, cross-party solutions for our NHS and Care systems."

    • Jon Hunt
      Birmingham Liberal Democrats radical plan to end city-wide bin strikes and improve refuse collection service
      Article: Mar 21, 2018

      The Liberal Democrats would break up Birmingham's giant waste collection services and end the repeated threat of city-wide bin strikes, under plans unveiled today.

      The proposals, known as "sector tendering," would see three contracts signed for waste collection and street cleaning services for three different regions of the city. They would be let for periods of up to eight years.

    • Liberal Democrats will tackle homelessness
      Real Help for the Homeless
      Article: Mar 13, 2018

      The Liberal Democrats are fighting for a new solution that would tackle the growing problem of rough sleeping at its root.

      The plan includes extra investment in mental health services as well as investment in thousands of new council houses.

      If put into action Lib Dem plan would put money from the sale of local council houses back into a pot which the Council could use to build more council homes and tackle homelessness in our area.

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    Birmingham Liberal Democrats