Will Voting Reform in Westminster lead to reform in H&F? (Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats)

Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats <info@hflibdems.org.uk>

Will Voting Reform in Westminster lead to reform in H&F?

August 7, 2010 10:02 AM

H&F Liberal Democrats welcome the Coalition Government's announcement of a referendum next May on voting reform for Westminster elections, but unless such reforms are applied to local government the residents of H&F will have to look to central government to restrain the "one-party-state" which is H&F Council.

The Lib Dems' Coalition Agreement with the Conservatives includes measures which should help curb the Tory-run Council from abusing its powers here in Hammersmith and Fulham.

In particular

stopping propaganda and unfair competition by local authority newspapers, such as H&F News
powers for communities to save local facilities and services threatened with closure
restrictions on the use of (RIPA)surveillance powers by councils
removing restrictions on social housing tenants
giving local residents the power to instigate local referendums where their councillors fail to represent their interests.

Unfortunately, until the unfair winner-takes-all voting system is changed in local government, moderate views will not be represented in our Town Hall(s?) and residents of H&F will continue to be the subjects of the radical experiments of the Conservative Way Forwards tendency.