WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING AS A COUNCILLOR ?

During the past four years, I have been a member of various committees in the City Council - sometimes chairing them - and I have represented the City Council on a number of outside bodies.

My full reports to the Council for my activities as a Cabinet Member in 2007-8, 2008-9 and 2009-10 are available in the Agenda papers for the April Council meeetings in 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively at www.lancaster.gov.uk

In 2010-11, my Council activities have included being a member of the Standards Committee and being a Council representative on the Court of Lancaster University.

WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON CHARGES AT COMMUNITY SWIMMING POOLS ?

Conservatives have denounced the increased charges for 2011-2 as excessive and unnecessary. By increasing "Wellbeing" fees and charges by an estimated £77,700, the City's Cabinet is raising the equivalent of a 0.9% increase in Council Tax - at a time when Council Tax itself is frozen.

Incorporating hidden taxation into charges for physical activities is contrary to the public policy of encouraging such activities.

Consider the Pool charges as an example. Conservatives have challenged the Cabinet to justify claims that rises in charges to pool users are necessary to recover the City's costs in keeping the Pools open for community use. It is wrong to suggest that the future of the Pools is at risk unless huge increases are made in the charges to users. Rises to recover the extra VAT - rounded up to the next 10p may be justified - but increases above that could easily be seen as unwise and largely unnecessary.

Conservatives argue that using pricing to encourage new users to the recreational resources provided by the Council is the policy most likely to produce a satisfactory income from those resources at times of economic hardship for many people. We tried to get the charge for family swimming [2 adults and 2 children] raised from £7.50 to £8 instead of to £9 - and we shall continue trying to get our view to prevail.

SHOULD LANCASTER MARKET MOVE INTO THE CITY MUSEUM BUILDING ?

The current cost of Lancaster Indoor Market based in the Market building - estimated at £500k per annum in 2011-2 and increasing - is unacceptable. Action to reduce these costs is required. Conservatives do not consider that relocating market tenants into the Lancaster City Museum Building is an idea worthy of investigation at the present time.

Strong reactions to the reality of the recent cabinet decision to undertake further investigations into the conversion of the City Museum to accommodate Lancaster Market have come from a variety of sources. One letter in the Lancaster Guardian states "It must rank as the most stupid idea since Mr Blobby moved into Happy Mount Park" and goes on to say "an extension to such a beautiful Grade 2 * listed building into New Street could be viewed as corporate vandalism and would surely have the Civic Society and English Heritage up in arms."

Thinking the suggested move is to the ground floor of the City Museum - threatening only the exhibition space - has been enough for one commentator to brand the proposal as "the closest thing to crazy."

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