City Leader addresses Lib Dem Spring conference in Torquay

12.00.00am GMT Mon 17th Mar 2003

Cllr David Howarth addressed the national Lib Dem Spring Conference in Torquay on Saturday. His theme was the Lib Dems first three years in office.

Speaking to an audience from around the country, he outlined the achievements made in the first three years of Lib Dem rule: cleaner streets, more recycling (which he said Labour had condemned as "too middle class") and subsidised evening and night buses. "Cambridge has the highest proportion of people going to work by bike of any place in the country", Cllr Howarth told delegates and added, "Bus ridership has increased and the use of cars in the city centre is falling".

He also reported that on housing, the number of street homeless had fallen to under 10 and the city had put forward a radical plan to build 10,000 homes on the airport site. Delegates were also told about the council's many neighbourhood initiatives such as the Neighbourhood Rangers (the eyes and ears of the community) and the forthcoming Area Committees which will bring local democracy to people's doorsteps.

Cllr Howarth also pointed to the city's council tax rise, well below the national average despite the threat of a massive cut in government grant to Cambridge.

He concluded that much had been done, but that in this city, there is no room for complacency. "Cambridge is never going to be easy to govern. It has one of the most articulate and demanding electorates in the country if not the world", he told delegates.