Councillor Andy Swain - Teign Valley (TDC)

Karen Roberts - Our County Council Candidate

Record NHS waiting list shows that front line staff will need more support - MP

Local MP Tim Farron says NHS front line staff desperately need more support, after it was revealed that 4.7 million people were waiting for routine operations and procedures in England in February - the most since 2007.

Raising the carers allowance

Carers Week estimate that there are up to 13.6m people in the U.K who undertake unpaid care duties, 26% of the adult population (see https://www.carersuk.org/images/CarersWeek2020/CW_2020_Research_Report_WEB.pdf ) For those earning under £128 per week it is possible to claim a carers allowance. To be eligible you have to provide 35 hours care per week for which you receive £67.25p. This allowance has just been reviewed. Whilst the government decided to significantly increase in the minimum wage ( by 19p per hour) they decided not to increase the weekly earnings limit for carers and increased the weekly payment to £67.60 a derisory increase of 5p per day. Projections based on polling indicate that unpaid carers across the UK have provided support to be £193 billion of care a year according to Carers Week Whilst awareness of unpaid carers is higher since the outbreak of coronavirus with half (48%) of those who had never been a carer said they were either more aware or much more aware of unpaid carers. 21

MP welcomes minister’s commitment to scrap ‘outdated and outrageous’ law which criminalises people for being homeless

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the Government's pledge to scrap a pre-Victorian law which makes it a criminal offence to beg or be homeless on the street in England and Wales.

Devon Liberal Democrats have confirmed their Devon County Council election candidates

  Devon Liberal Democrats have confirmed their Devon County Council election candidates to get Devon back on its feet. Alan...

Focus - Whickham North - Issue 156 Spring 2021

Local News and action - Lib Dems oppose 5% Council Tax Hike