Focus
Redhill & Northbourne
Published by Redhill & Northbourne Democrats, 8 Minstead Road, Bournemouth. Printed by Focus Print, Salisbury Road, Poole.
Your Redhill Focus team: Cllr Roger West, Michael Chizlett and Ines Thomson together with Lib Dem Annette Brooke M.P. for Mid-Dorset & North Poole. Cllr Roger West has continued to work hard on behalf of his ward despite, as many of you will be aware, suffering from a rare cancer of the jaw. We are pleased to report that Roger is making a slow but steady recovery and is looking forward to continuing work to improve local services in Redhill & Northbourne.
Bournemouth Liberal Democrats extend our warmest wishes to Roger and all his family.
Inside  Help for families  Coalition: Means
to an End
Coalition: Means to an End Liberal Democrats need to do more to take on critics. We are not and never will be a “split the difference� party and are not interested in coalition at any cost. Liberal Democrats are in Government to deliver a more Liberal Britain.
Who are we? We are democrats; unlike other parties our members decide our policy and elect our leader. Our local parties are independent and we work hard in our communities - giving local people a voice and deciding how their neighbourhoods are run.
What do we stand for? A stronger economy and a fairer society. An economy which leaves no one enslaved by poverty and a society in which people stand together free and equal.
We Help Families For our children. For our grandchildren. Shared
parental leave -
under new rules to be
brought-in from April 2015 parents will be able to share up to 12 months of parental leave. Current rules allow mums to take up to 12 months off work to be with their new-born child while most working dads can only have one or two weeks. The new rules, fought for by Lib Dems in Government, bring equality to the system. They free families from having to choose traditional gender roles. It encourages men who want to play a more active role in their child’s life and encourages women who want to go back to work.
Free
childcare -
we fought hard for coalition policy
which now gives 15 hours free childcare each week for all 3-4 year olds and all 2 year olds from the poorest 40% of families. Lib Dem Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said: “So much of a child’s life is determined before they hang up their coats on their first day of school. It is vital that we do all we can to make sure a child’s potential isn’t determined by the circumstance their birth. Good quality early education gives children a head start before they even start school and helps the most hard-pressed families who are struggling with the cost of child care.”
Providing
free school meals -
from Sep-
tember 2014 free school meals will be available to all infant school children. They are currently only provided to those on benefits or those earning less than £16,190 a year. From September these free school meals will be universal. In tough economic times we’re helping hard pressed families: saving them around £440 a year on school lunches, eliminating the stigma of claiming free school meals and ensuring that children don’t go hungry at school.
Tuition Fees: The Facts
There are no upfront fees—all tuition fees are paid by Student Finance England.
Students previously had to start making payments when they earned over £16,000, under the new system they don’t have to pay until they earn over £21,000.
Once you earn over £21,000 you pay smaller monthly payments than under the old system.
If you don’t earn over £21,000 you don’t have to pay ANYTHING back.
Students from poorest backgrounds pay 30% less for their higher education.
The repayments are taken off of your payroll so you don’t have to worry about making payments.
Student Finance is open to people of any age, not just the young, it is also available for part-time degrees.
Cllr Roger West Tel: 01202 389916; Email: roger.west@bournemouth-libdems.org
Michael Chizlett Email: michael.chizlett@bournemouth-libdems.org
Ines Thomson Email: ines.thomson@bournemouth-libdems.org Facebook: Lib Dems Bournemouth; Twitter: @LibDemsBournemo