RICHARD BURT - NEWS

Cross-party call for fuel allowance

TORY and Lib Dem parliamentary candidates have joined forces to call for a better deal for volunteer drivers.

Conservative candidate Harriett Baldwin posted a petition on the 10 Downing Street website, calling for Gordon Brown to raise the maximum allowance for volunteer NHS drivers.

It has been signed by Lib Dem candidate Richard Burt and county councillor Liz Tucker.

The petition calls for the maximum allowande to be raised from the present ceiling of 40 pence per mile, before rising fuel costs force volunteers to quit.

The petition has so far attracted 850 signatures, including 400 county councillors from around the country.

Mr Burt said: "I was asked by the Malvern District Branch of Community Action to sign this petition in a spirit of cross-party cooperation and did so without hesitation.

Villagers protest over housing plan

Over 200 residents have signed a letter protesting about plans to build houses on green space in Leigh Sinton.

West Mercia Housing Group wants to build up to 13 homes on the site between Kiln Lane and Chapel Close.

Residents Michele Palmer, Les Williams and George Pribojac, together with invited neighbours, intend to present their petition to the next meeting of the parish council, on Tuesday, July 22, seeking their backing.

Michele Palmer said: "This area of land is outside the village boundary and would deprive existing residents of green open space, magnificent views and relative tranquillity.

"Increase in traffic and the extra demand for services would threaten the quality of life and the dynamics of the village"

The residents have also enlisted the help of Lib Dem candidate Richard Burt and county councillor Clive Smith.

Lib Dem leader visits Malvern

By Tarik Al Rasheed Malvern Gazette
Comment
LIBERAL Democrat leader Nick Clegg will meet local volunteers and enjoy a pint in a country pub when he visits Malvern on Thursday, July 10.

Mr Clegg is hosting an open question and answer session at the Forum Theatre at 7pm that evening. But before that he will drop in on volunteers at Malvern Community Action, who are holding their annual general meeting, before travelling to the Red Lion at Powick to discuss measures to preserve country pubs and tackle the sale of cheap alcohol in supermarkets with landlords Richard and Roz Sizer and Worcestershire licensed victuallers association chairman Mike Stevens.

Mr Clegg will be accompanied throughout his visit by local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Richard Burt.

4:30pm Thursday 26th June 2008

Call for focus on patients

By Robert Hale Malvern Gazette

LIB Dem candidate Richard Burt is calling for more patient focus in the plans for a new Malvern hospital.

Mr Burt, a member of Malvern Hospital Friends, made his response to Worcestershire PCT after meeting architects and Trust bosses at a public meeting held at Malvern Rugby Club.

He said: "It's great to have more detailed plans into the public domain so early, giving people a real chance to influence the final design of the new hospital.
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Sheffield House

Mental health fight steps up a gear
By Tarik Al Rasheed Malvern Gazette

THE fight to save mental health unit Sheffield House has stepped up a gear as service users and high profile supporters bid to keep it open.

On Thursday, May 15 members of the Worcestershire Mental Health Network (WMHN) met at St Mary's Church, in Sherrards Green Road to discuss proposals to close the eight-bed unit in Court Road.

The Worcestershire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust has earmarked Sheffield House for closure as mental health care nationally moves increasingly towards home treatment. It has also cited the fact that Sheffield House has averaged less than 50 per cent occupancy for the past two years, and overspent on its annual budget of £356,603 by around £51,000 in the 2007/8 financial year.

Social club receives overwhelming support

By Robert Hale Comment Malvern Gazette

NEARLY 300 Malvern residents completed a petition about the future of the Civil Service Social Club in Spring Lane, which is due to close next week.

There was overwhelming support for retaining the club, and opposing the idea of another large supermarket in the town.

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Richard Burt said: "I have been in discussions with the chief executive of the Civil Service Association and made it very clear how strong local feeling was running.

Prospective MP to join in litter pick

LIB Dem parliamentary candidate Richard Burt will join in with a litter pick in Upton tomorrow (Saturday, March 15).

Upton in Bloom has organised the event, which starts at 10am with groups of volunteers meeting in both the Hanley Road and Old Street car parks.

Mr Burt said he was happy to join residents in giving the town a spring clean.

"I recently walked the town with town council chairman Tim Perry, and saw for myself the amount of debris that had been deposited after the recent floods," he said. "It is essential that the town looks its best for the start of the tourist season over Easter, and I'm sure volunteers will be there in force to do their bit."

Bag campaign gathers momentum

By Robert Hale Malvern Gazette

The campaign is gathering momentum, with the Great Malvern Association of Trade last week announcing that it is working on designing a durable, spacious and environmentally-friendly alternative, to be sold in town centre shops.

And on Saturday, Moorlands Road residents Veronica and Richard Edwards, held a successful action day in Barnards Green promoting the alternatives.

Joined by Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Richard Burt, they visited every shop in the Green and spoke to the owners or managers about the issue.

"What we heard was really encouraging," said Mrs Edwards. "We got the strong feeling that most of them want to change, and some have already.

"We came away feeling really heartened, and I think we ought to flag up Barnards Green as a part of Malvern that's really making an effort."

Bag campaign reaches Barnards Green

By Robert Hale Malvern Gazette

MALVERN residents will be joined by Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Richard Burt for an action day about disposable plastic bags.

Veronica and Richard Edwards of Moorlands Road contacted Mr Burt because they were concerned about the effect on the environment of the bags.

Now they have got together to organise a day of action in Barnards Green to persuade traders and shoppers to stop using such bags.

Survey reveals health attitudes

RESULTS from nearly 4,000 responses to a health survey have been sent to Worcestershire's NHS Primary Care Trust as part of their consultation on a new health strategy.

Thirty-seven thousand households in West Worcestershire received a copy of the survey from Lib Dem candidate Richard Burt before Christmas.

Richard Burt said: "It's so important to get future health care priorities right, and the best way to do that is to listen to local people's concerns.

"The general level of satisfaction from residents with the service they receive from the NHS locally is very high. It's good to confirm that most who use the National Health Service in Worcestershire find that it delivers the treatment they need, and that services are generally perceived to have improved in recent times.

"However, not all Government driven reforms appear to be working for Worcestershire residents. Worryingly, 40 per cent of people rated the out of hours GP service as poor, and only 18 per cent rated it as being good."

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