Cheltenham declares cost of living emergency after Lib Dem campaign

• Max’s call for a cost of living emergency declaration backed locally
• Lib Dem council calls on government to help local families
• More support for help schemes initiatives to be explored

The local Liberal Democrats have accused Alex Chalk of hiding after failing to respond to the Sue Gray report. The Liberal Democrats have also branded Conservative MPs defending Boris Johnson as “insulting local people’s sacrifices.”

A staggering 100,000 Gloucestershire residents waited over eight days for a GP appointment in February, Liberal Democrat research has revealed. This is up 9% from the previous month, when 5.7 million waited for eight days or more to see their GP. 

Sir Ed Davey joined parliamentary candidate Max Wilkinson on a visit to one of the places where sewage is dumped in the River Chelt.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey joined parliamentary candidate Max Wilkinson on a visit to the Angry Parrot micropub in Cheltenham.

Cheltenham's Liberal Democrats have called on local Conservative MP Alex Chalk to sack Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak following the revelation that both are to be fined over lockdown-breaking parties at Number 10.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling for Parliament to be recalled immediately so MPs can hold a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, following the revelation that both he and Rishi Sunak are to be fined over lockdown-breaking parties at Number 10.

Latest figures show that sewage was dumped into Cheltenham’s watercourses for thousands of hours in 2021.

Data from The Rivers Trust records the following:

• The River Chelt, near Charlton Kings
  • 139 times for a total of 2511 hours
• The River Chelt at St Peter’s Park
  • 17 times for a total of 21 hours
• Hatherley Brook south of the A40, in Benhall
  • Nine times for a total of 10 hours

“This latest data from The Rivers Trust highlights the fact that we need action rather than words on this issue,” said Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Max Wilkinson.

“Water companies are still allowed to make hundreds of millions of pounds in profit while dumping sewage in our rivers.  It’s outrageous that last year Conservative MPs voted against a proposal to put an end to sewage dumping.”

You can view the latest sewage map from The Rivers Trust here.

Thanks to the Liberal Democrats, Cheltenham’s voice is being heard.  After launching a campaign for a sewage tax to clean up our rivers, hundreds of people have backed our campaign.

You can join the campaign here.

Thousands of families in Cheltenham may miss out on the Government’s £150 council tax rebate to help with soaring energy bills, new figures have revealed.

The Liberal Democrats have slammed the Spring Statement as a "massive missed opportunity" to help families in Cheltenham.

Max is leading the charge to clean up rivers after receiving local backing for a sewage tax and calling on Cheltenham’s Conservative MP to explain his voting record. Parliamentary candidate Max Wilkinson, in his role as Cheltenham’s first climate emergency lead,
has written to Alex Chalk to confirm the Borough’s support for a levy to pay for a clean-up programme.

His motion to the Borough Council is the latest step in holding to account Severn Trent water company and the Conservatives for their lack of effective action on sewage in rivers. Max said: “I’m one of the many people dismayed that water companies are allowed to dump sewage in rivers and streams, including the Chelt.

“It’s time something was done, which is why I’m pleased my call for a sewage tax has been backed by local councillors.

“I’m disappointed that local Conservatives were unable to support this action, but perhaps not surprised.

“Our MP certainly has some questions to answer about his voting record on this, as well as the Government’s failure to ban sewage being dumped in rivers. I look forward to receiving his reply.”

If you back a sewage tax on water companies to pay for the clean-up of rivers, click here to sign Max’s petition.