Last week the party published the preliminary agenda for Autumn Conference in Brighton.

A major policy paper will set out proposals for tackling poverty and reducing inequality – an issue that Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell personally has identified as something he wants the party to tackle as a priority. There’ll be a new paper refining further our proposals to make the tax system fairer – including a headline proposal to cut income tax by 4p in the pound. And there will be a new paper on local and regional governance in England.

Also still to come are policy papers on tackling climate change and on better governance of the UK.

Away from the major policy papers there are a range of motions on the preliminary agenda focussed on particular groups in particular need: a motion on supporting young people in need, one on supporting young carers, and one on preventing elder abuse. There are also motions on ensuring everyone has access to a dentist, on the issue of women in prison, and on promoting tourism.

Two weighty issues which seem bound to attract particular attention are a full motion setting out proposed Lib Dem views on “The Surveillance Society”, and a very interesting motion on increasing local control of and benefits from housing developments, based on Tim Leunig’s recent paper for Centre Forum on this.

The full preliminary agenda and policy papers published so far, are accessible to party members through the members-only Lib Dem Voice forum.

All these motions are open to amendment – any local party, or 10 conference representatives , can submit amendments to them – the form is here and must be returned to the Policy Projects Team in Cowley St by 12 noon on Wednesday, 11th July.

Local parties or conference reps can also still submit new motions by 11th July – as long as the subject is either “topical” (which is to say it has arisen since the original deadline for motions), or is on one of the subjects identified by the conference committee for motions. This year these are the environment, foreign affairs, education, or home affairs.

Away from the formal business of conference there will of course be the usual bustle of fringe meetings, the exhibition and training events – details will come with the final agenda in August.

And in the hall itself the range of events which are not simply debates on policy motions, continues to expand. There will be question-and-answer sessions with our spokespeople, on underachievement at school and on climate change, as well as one with Ming. There will be a presentation by our sister party the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, and by the Lib Dems running Stockport Council about what they have done as Lib Dems in power. There’ll also be a new format for a thoughtful discussion on immigration, citizenship and identity – and a speech by the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.

It should be a great event in one of the party’s favourite venues, Brighton – so if you haven’t yet registered – don’t forget to do so now!