Duncan Hames voices local concerns at the Lib Dem national Conference

Would-be local MP, Duncan Hames, has voiced concerns raised by Wiltshire residents at the Liberal Democrat Annual Conference in Bournemouth.

During a debate on the Lib Dems central policy paper ‘A Fresh Start for Britain’ Duncan addressed delegates from across the Country on the importance of not losing the opportunity to clean up politics.

During the debate Duncan said:

“Back in Wiltshire my neighbours are sick of the old politics. Sick of politicians who put themselves first…. Sick of people who promise the world instead of telling it to them straight…. These are difficult times: they aren’t comfortable for ordinary families. They shouldn’t be comfortable for MPs either.”

Later, Duncan said: “I raised this issue because when I speak to people on the doorstep the no. 1 issue that comes up is a feeling of being let down by the way Wiltshire MPs have claimed expenses. People tell me that it is not the money that bothers them most – but the abuse of trust.

“There is now a great danger that the two main parties will conspire to sweep the need to clean up politics under the carpet and go back to business as usual. I and my fellow Lib Dems are determined to make sure that this does not happen.”

Duncan reacted with disbelief to the news that the new chief executive of Wiltshire Council will be paid between £171,000 and £189,000 a year – on a par with the Prime Minister and around £25,000 more than the acting-chief exec. It has since been announced that the acting-chief executive will not be applying for the job but will instead be in line for a bumper redundancy payout.

Prospective local Lib Dem MP, Duncan Hames, said: “The Conservatives promised us that the move to a single council would save taxpayers money but instead they have voted for this massive pay-hike and are spending £50,000 on consultants to find a candidate for the job. At a time when many people are having to tighten their belts and are thinking very carefully about what they spend, Wiltshire Conservatives prove to be completely out of touch with ordinary people.”

Duncan has also spoken out against the size of the redundancy payments which the Council has been giving to outgoing senior staff: “The reason why payments, such as the one the outgoing Chief Executive might expect, are so large is that senior Conservative councillors met in secret session and agreed an exceptionally generous increased redundancy policy. No one made them do it. Where else would it cost over £6 millions to make 35 people redundant? Their generosity with taxpayers’ money was extraordinary. They would not have done it with their own money in their own businesses, of that I’m sure.

“I have written to the Audit Commission asking them to investigate the council’s policy on redundancy payments. There was no need for so much taxpayers’ money to be shared by so few. It really is scandalous.”

Duncan Hames, who is standing to be Chippenham’s next MP, has completed a sponsored attempt to walk, climb and run 100 miles to raise money for the Parkinson’s Disease Society, culminating in running in Sunday’s Chippenham Half Marathon (13 miles, completed in 1h 59mins 23secs).

As part of this effort Duncan also trekked 12 miles to the top of Ben Nevis and back (Britain’s highest peak) and walked the Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness (76 miles over 5 days).

Duncan said: “I would like to say thank you to everyone who has sponsored me. The Parkinson’s Disease Society is an excellent charity which does a fantastic work for people suffering from this cruel and often forgotten disease. It’s nearly a year since my Grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s; this is just a small way in which I can say ‘thank you’ for all that the Parkinson’s Disease Society do.

You can still sponsor Duncan at:

http://www.justgiving.com/duncanhames-100miles

A pledge made to local people by Liberal Democrat prospective MP, Duncan Hames, has been voted one of the ten most important ‘Commandments’ for MPs in a public poll.

The poll, which was conducted by the politics website tweetminster.co.uk, asked people to vote for the ten best ideas on how to clean up politics as submitted by parliamentary candidates and the public. Duncan Hames’ promise to constituents not to employ any family or household members if he is elected as our MP, and to advertise all jobs in local newspapers, was voted as one of the ten best ideas. All MPs and Parliamentary candidates across the country will now be asked to sign up to these “10 Commandments for MPs.”

Duncan Hames said: “The pledge was one of three promises I have made to local people about how I will act if elected as their MP. The others are to be a full time MP not paid for any other jobs or business on the side, and not to claim expenses to pay a mortgage. Lots of people are relieved to hear these pledges when I call to see them. I’m delighted to learn that my pledge not to employ family or household members will now be taken up by this national campaign and hopefully help to clean up politics beyond Wiltshire, and across the country.”

The full list of Tweetminster’s 10 Commandments can be found here: http://10commandments.tweetminster.com/results.aspx

Liberal Democrats in the new Chippenham Parliamentary Constituency are celebrating victory in last Thursday’s Town Council by-elections in Chippenham and Melksham.

In Melksham Spa, Lib Dem, Peter Dauncey, polled 732 votes (59%) to the Conservatives’ 432 (35%) with the BNP trailing a poor third with 81 votes (6%). Peter now takes a seat previously held by the Conservatives and his victory means that the Conservatives now lose overall control of the Town Council.

In Chippenham Park, Lib Dem, Lorraine Roberts-Rance, took 427 votes (66%) defeating sitting Conservative Wiltshire Councillor, Peter Hutton, on 216 (34%) and will be joining the successful Lib Dem-led Chippenham Town Council .

Prospective Lib Dem MP, Duncan Hames, said: “This is a great result for Lorraine, Peter and the whole local Lib Dem team. Peter and Lorraine have been doing a lot of work for residents and both will make excellent local councillors. These wins build upon our success on June 4th – when we won the greatest number of votes across the constituency – and go to show that local people continue to prefer the Lib Dems’ positive, community-led approach to politics.”