Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats

Department of Education figures published last week show that barely half of H&F children (57%) got a place in their first preference secondary school, compared with 86% of pupils in England and 71% of children across London.

These are among the worst figures in the country, and for children unable to get a place in any of their preferred schools, Hammersmith & Fulham holds the national record.

With apologies, the correct deadline for objections to the Compulsory Purchase Order is Tuesday 02 April.

Objections by email will be accepted, and should be sent to npcu@communities.gsi.gov.uk.

The CPO is intended to "secure the continuity, character and viability" but businesses in the Market and in Goldhalk Road will be forced out, to promote a Council project which has not secured the funding to proceed, and may never do so.

Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor's Police and Crime Plan said:

"These proposals are a return to the bad old days of policing.

"The Mayor is planning to decimate dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Teams and return to 'sector' policing which failed so many communities across London.

"At the same time the closure of 63 police front counters will dramatically reduce the ability of many Londoners to access the police, especially when reporting some of the most serious forms of crime."

"To add insult to injury we are still being denied the full details of how the new contact points will operate, especially the hours they will actually be open

"We are still no clearer about where these contact points will be. Some will only open for 3 hours a week which is not like for like replacement as the Mayor has previously promised. This has been a flawed consultation over a totally flawed plan."

ENDS

The plans to redevelop Shepherds Bush Market will, if they go ahead, involved the compulsory purchase of a huge tract of Shepherds Bush and Goldhawk Road:

The order has been published and will include

• The land and buildings comprising the whole of Shepherds Bush Market, lying between Uxbridge Road and Goldhawk Road, including all of the market stalls east of the railway viaduct, all of the shop units within the arches of the viaduct and extensions to those units to the west of the viaduct and the roadways and passageways and sub- station serving all those premises
• 15 Pennard Road, being the site of the former commercial laundry lying between the market and the rear of Pennard Road including sub station
• The Lime Grove Hostel, Lime Grove including associated land
• The Broadway Hostel, 14 Market Lane including associated land and substation
• The Peabody premises 52a Goldhawk Road and 1-12 Market- Lane and associated land
• The shops and premises known as 30-52 (even inclusive) and 54a Goldhawk Road
• Roadways (0 known as Market Lane and (ii) to the rear of 30- 52 Goldhawk Road
• Half widths of Goldhawk and Uxbridge Road fronting the above land.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has closed the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in Brighton by calling on members to spread the message of the Party's commitment in Government to deliver a stronger economy and a fairer society.

In his keynote Leader's speech, Nick paid tribute to the work of the Party in winning the Eastleigh by-election, beating the Conservatives into third place and squeezing Labour while campaigning on the Lib Dem record of delivering in Government.

Lib Dems from H&F and from neighbouring boroughs came to Fulham on 22 October, to discuss the Party's tax policies, with Gareth Epps from the Tax Working Party as convenor.

After Mr Epps' introduction, the discussion covered VAT, Corporation Tax, and business taxes, Income tax, National Insurance and the Universal Credit, property taxes and environmental taxes. Members expressed a clear wish for the party to be radical on tax, though in the detail there was a range of views.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has used his keynote speech to the Lib Dem Party conference in Brighton to announce extra money for 110,000 children struggling with maths and English.

The Deputy Prime Minister said secondary schools in England will receive an extra £55 million to help pupils arriving in year seven who have slipped behind in English and maths at primary school. The money will come in from next January, with schools deciding how to spend it to help pupils with weaker results in maths and English.