Öpik: "Give Power To Local People To Stop Community Decline" (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

Cymraeg
English

Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

Öpik: "Give Power To Local People To Stop Community Decline"

June 30, 2006 9:00 AM

Local MP Lembit Öpik, has been congratulated by a coalition including trade associations, Women's Institutes, environmental groups, and social justice organisations, for backing a bill that would give more power to local communities and help strengthen community services

Lembit, MP for Montgomeryshire, signed EDM 641 backing the Sustainable Communities Bill. The Bill seeks to give power to local communities so they can combat the continuous closure of post offices, bank branches, independent shops, local pubs and newsagents.

Commenting, Lembit said:

"I'm seriously concerned about the decline of local communities, and the threat faced in Mid-Wales by many of our longstanding Post Offices, newsagents and bank branches, small shops and public facilities.

"These services are vital if we're going to give our local communities a sustainable future.

"What we need is local people having the power to decide what should happen in their communities.

"These decisions shouldn't be made by remote-control in Whitehall- they should be made on the ground in by the people who know their towns and villages best.

"At present people are having to watch vital local services and facilities like Post Offices and bank branches disappear whilst having no power to stop it. Hopefully, the Sustainable Communities Bill will change that by giving power to local people to help protect and enhance their communities."

ENDS

Notes for Journalists

10,000 individuals, 700 local councils, 300 local organisations and 63 national organisations have signed up to support the Local Works campaign. For more detail please contact: Steve Shaw, Local on 020 7833 9898.

The Campaign Coalition Members are as follows:

ACT- Active Citizens Transform, BASSAC, British Independent Fruit Growers Association, Bio-power UK, Campaign for Community Banking Services, CAMRA, Centre for Creative Communities, Charter88, Community Composting Network, Community Recycling Network, The Co-operative Group, CTC - The National Cyclists Organisation, Disability Rights Commission, Ecologist Magazine, Ecology Building Society, Ethical Property Company, FARM, FARMA, Farmers' Union of Wales, Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens, Food Justice, Food Links UK, Friends of the Earth, Green Lib Dems, Green Party, Henry Double Day Research Centre, Help the Aged, Life Style Movement, Living Streets, London Wildlife Trust, National Association of Farmers Markets, National Association of Local Councils, National Association of Small Schools, National Farmers' Union of Wales, National Federation of Retail Newsagents, National Association of Sub-Postmasters, National Federation of Community Organisations, National Federation of Women's Institutes, National Pensioners Convention, National Pharmacy Association, Network for Social Change, New Economics Foundation, New Politics Network, Postwatch, Pub is the Hub, Public and Commercial Services Union, Resurgence Magazine, SERA, SHELTER, SIBA-Society of Small and Independent Brewers, Small and Family Farms Association, Soil Association, Sustain, Sustainable Energy Partnership, Transport 2000, Triodos Bank, UK Villages, UNISON, ViRSA, Walter Segal Self Build Trust, Women's Environmental Network.