New Deputy Leader of Hull Lib Dems calls to move Hull forward with Lib Dem Leader

The Lib Dem team on Hull City Council put forward their leader, Councillor Mike Ross, to be the Leader of Hull City Council on Thursday 20th May. Despite Hull's Lib Dems winning the popular vote in the recent elections, Labour voted to install their own nominee instead.

Councillor Jackie Dad, recently elected Deputy Leader of Hull Lib Dems, spoke in support of Councillor Mike Ross to becoming Leader of Hull City Council and condemned the Labour Council's tired and worn-out record of inaction.

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Liberal Democrats from both Hull and the East Riding have called for changes to how the council's pension funds are invested, following the news that both authorities have recognised the climate emergency.

The Liberal Democrats do not want to see any further investment in fossil fuels that would result in more severe flooding and land loss to rising sea levels. Flooding and land loss have already caused significant harm already in the region.

This has led to concerns raised in both Hull and the East Riding regarding the East Riding Pension Fund's investments in the fossil fuel industry.

Hull City Council today (25/2/21) met to decide its budget for the next financial year.

The debate saw Labour councillors admit their budget would see the council 'stand still' before voting it through. The Liberal Democrats presented an alternative plan, aimed at moving Hull forward, with a number of new spending commitments on roads, crime prevention, and mental health services.

The Liberal Democrats state that the city faces tough times ahead and have put together a proactive alternative budget to face it head on. Leader of the Lib Dem Group on Hull City Council, Cllr Mike Ross, said: "Now is the time for real leadership to face the challenges ahead and this Labour 'standstill' budget just doesn't do that."

The Liberal Democrats have today announced their alternative budget proposals ahead of the annual Hull City Council budget meeting. The party intend to invest £500,000 into a Crime Prevention Fund, nearly £1m for cleaner & greener communities all while undercutting Labour's Council Tax hike by 1% point.

Liberal Democrat Councillors are presenting their alternative budget plans as ones that will help Hull rebuild and move forward after the devastating impacts of Covid19, alongside years of an outdated Guildhall Labour administration.

Liberal Democrat Councillors will be pushing for funding for the city’s high streets, a fund to crackdown on rogue landlords in the private rented sector, while cutting the council comms budget, such as the "Love Labour" vanity project, "Love Hull ", saving £137,000.

The Liberal Democrats have added their weight to efforts to save the Kirkella fishing vessel. They have launched a petition that reached over 270 signatures in just 48 hours. They have also taken the issue to Parliament, with a Written Parliamentary Question tabled by Liberal Democrat Baroness Harris of Richmond.

Baroness Harris and her Lib Dem colleagues asked a number of questions about the fishing arrangements post-Brexit, including an explicit question on Hull's Kirkella Trawler. The question was:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to compensate (1) the crew of, and (2) those employed through the supply chain of the catch from, the Kirkella trawler which has been unable to operate due to not having access to distant fishing waters.

Bude Park is going to be given significant improvements to its facilities, including new changing rooms after Lib Dems fought for the Council to approve the use of local area funds.

Improving Bude Park has been a long term project that both Lib Dem Councillors in Kingswood and West Carr have been working alongside communities to realise.

The Hull Liberal Democrats have slammed the council for being "wasteful" and "misleading" after it has been revealed an outdated letter estimated to cost over £73,000 was sent to every resident in the city by Council leader Stephen Brady. 
 
The letter, dated 17th November, arrived on doorsteps many days (in some cases over a week) after the date stated what residents found to be outdated information around Christmas and other Coronavirus guidelines.

Responding to news that children's free school meal food parcels in Hull have been identified as falling far short of the mark, Lib Dem Councillor Linda Tock has voiced her concern:

The Liberal Democrats have condemned the Chancellor for failing to introduce a comprehensive plan to save jobs after it was revealed that 16,440 of people in Hull are currently on Universal Credit.
 
Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine criticised Rishi Sunak's "constant chop-and-change approach", urging him to put in place a proper plan to protect jobs as the Government still struggles to get a grip over rising cases of coronavirus.