Judith's Election Address 

My background is in education and I am particularly interested in that.  I have been a playgroup leader and I believe strongly in the value of play.  I have taught at Keighley College and I feel that it is wrong that courses that do not lead to certificates are being cut because of not fitting in with government goals for vocational courses.  Classes for older people and for adults with special educational needs are already being cut.

As a Town Councillor I have been concerned with access rights for disabled people, with children's play areas, with rights of way, with protecting a woodland and with trying to help people to deal with flooding problems and various other matters.

As a District Councillor I would be able to achieve more in the field of encouraging the District Council to improve educational provision and make sure that every child had a fair start in life.  I would be working as part of the Liberal Democrat Group of councillors who have this as their top priority.  As a group we also want children to be educated concerning the dangers of drugs and alcohol abuse.

I have some personal views about schools as well.  For instance I believe that school dinners should be good food and free from the artificial additives, which have been shown to be one of the causes of disruptive behaviour in studies of prisoners.  I would like the food that children get in schools to help rather than hinder their behaviour and educational achievement.  Of course I would have to put my case to other councillors, both of my own and other political parties and work with others to try to bring about further improvements.

Another issue I feel strongly about is that licences for pubs, night clubs and off licences should be looked at carefully.  Where a pub is a meeting place for the local community and alcohol is not as a rule mis-sold to under age drinkers or to anyone who is already inebriated then I think the licence should be renewed.  However where there is cause for concern then I do not think licences should be automatically renewed.  I think there should be a sort of temporary probationary period for the venue and the final outcome should depend on improvements to the effect on the neighbourhood.  It is district councils that review licences nowadays.

I have already been included in the Liberal Democrat Group's brainstorming sessions on policy and helped to form some of their policies about how adults with learning problems should be treated, for instance we agreed that adults whose development was such that toys and playground equipment would benefit them should not be deprived of them just because of some notion of political correctness.

As to the exact causes that I would be taking up I cannot say just yet.  This is because if someone in my ward asked for help with a situation I had not thought about previously and I could help them I would be willing to try.  I cannot promise always to be successful but I can do my best.

Judith