However, we will not shy away after this, and we will continue to fight for residents in Lincoln. Stay tuned to the website for further information.

Ross Pepper, Chair of Lincoln Liberal Democrats.

For full results – follow 2012 Elections link

With much of Lincoln low lying, the risk of flooding is high and if development continues on flood plains around the city, the risk grows higher.

Also, some areas of the city find large pools of standing water after heavy downpours due to inadequate or blocked drains. David Harding-Price, candidate for Carholme Ward, says,

“We have had no action from the Labour controlled City Council or the Conservative dominated County Council to deal with this issue. It is high time we had action to safeguard Lincoln and its’ residents.”

Liberal Democrat research published today shows that Labour are wasting millions of pounds on vanity projects, executive car services and corporate communications while slashing library services, closing dementia centres and ending support for the most vulnerable.

Simon Hughes is calling on voters to stop Labour turning more of our councils into nearly bankrupt authorities, just like they did to the country.

Commenting, Simon Hughes said:

“When Ed Miliband said he had a special responsibility to show us that every pound that is spent by Labour, is spent wisely, he clearly forgot to tell his councillors.

“Labour councils have failed their own leader’s test. Rather than spending money on essential services and supporting the most vulnerable, they want to waste money on executive cars, cabinets for silverware and oil paintings.

“Liberal Democrats in councils across the country are making the best calls for local people. That is why Liberal Democrat-controlled councils are freezing council tax this year, are most likely to offer pay rises for the lowest paid and are still managing to open libraries instead of closing them.

“A vote for Liberal Democrat candidates on Thursday is a vote to stop Labour wasting our money locally just like they did nationally.”

We listen to local people and give them a voice in decisions made about their communities. In power we work to protect the services people most value, and to protect the most vulnerable in society. We do this making best use of public money.

A copy of the email is below

This Thursday across much of England, Liberal Democrat councillors and campaigners will be standing for election to represent their communities on their local council. I would like to wish them the very best in those elections – every vote for the Liberal Democrats and every Liberal Democrat councillor elected is a step towards a more liberal country.

Liberal Democrat councillors have a well-deserved reputation for dedication and commitment to their local communities. And our record on freezing council tax, protecting local libraries and giving pay rises for the lowest paid council workers shows the difference we make when we run local councils.

Labour may choose to lie in what they tell people about our record in government, but I remain very proud of what we have achieved: raising the income tax threshold and cutting taxes for 23 million ordinary working people, implementing the Pupil Premium, creating record numbers of apprenticeships and delivering the ‘triple lock’ guarantee for pensions.

We have only been able to implement these much-needed liberal policies because of the hard work of Liberal Democrats across the country. That hard work can make a difference again on Thursday.

“Development has to be on brown field sites,” says David, “There are a number of options that could be explored, but what must NOT happen is waiting another two decades for the next FIVE social houses to be built.”

Labour have failed residents in Lincoln by not addressing this serious and urgent issue. Five new social houses are not enough to combat this problem.

Mr McCartney’s response was to to suggest that if gay marriage was allowed the next step would be to also allow bigamy and child marriages.

“If you and your likeminded campaigners were of the opinion that all couples should be able to have civil partnerships, then you might have more credence, but you are not,” he said.

“Nor are you advocating multi-partnership marriages, not a reduction in the age of permitted marriage. But if one takes your ‘arguments’ to any conclusion that is where we could end up.”

Mr Pepper said, “Mr McCartney has let his personal bigotry become public. As Lincoln’s MP he should respect the views of Lincoln’s large LGBT community. He is also ignoring the views of many religious institutions such as the Quakers who support the idea of a gay marriage. Mr McCartney owes the LGBT community of Lincoln an apology.”

Liberal Democrat-controlled Cardiff is opening five new libraries and Portsmouth and Bristol are also opening new libraries.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Party President, Tim Farron said:

“While Conservatives and Labour councils their budgets without regard for the most vulnerable, Liberal Democrat-controlled councils know how to protect essential services.

“Encouraging and enabling reading is vital to the development of children and adults alike. If we don’t give our children the opportunity to practice and perfect their reading skills at a young age, they will struggle to catch up later in life.

“Libraries are a life-line for local communities, especially for those who are less well off, and give people the opportunity to relax, learn new information and skills or to use the internet if they don’t have it at home.

“Cutting services like Labour and Tory councils are doing will do long-term damage. Liberal Democrats are doing the right thing thanks to our financial competency in the councils we run. That is also the reason why not only have Liberal Democrat councils kept libraries open, but councils in England have also frozen council tax and are most likely to be giving the lowest-paid council workers a pay rise.”