Tag Archives: three rivers

Senior Hertfordshire Lib Dem councillors step down from leadership after 52 years of service

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 25th May 2016 - 5:40 pm

Two Hertfordshire Liberal Democrat council group leaders have stepped down from their leadership roles (although they remain councillors) which they have held for 30 and 22 years respectively.

In Three Rivers, Ann Shaw announced that she was stepping down after three decades in the top job as Leader of the Council, telling the Watford Observer:

It is 30 years since we took over the administration of Three Rivers District Council from the Conservatives, which is long enough for one person to be leader.

This does not mean any reduction in my commitment to TRDC and the community. In fact I need to be able to spend more time working to sort out some local problems and issues.

Ann is replaced by a familiar face, Sara Bedford. I first knew Sara on the first Lib Dem online conferencing forum, Cix, way back in the day and I wish her well. In fact, I first heard of her when she was involved in NUS even before then. She has long experience as a councillor. She said of Ann:

Ann is going to be a difficult act to follow, but I will have my own ways of doing things. It’s a good time to become leader after the huge vote of support for the Lib Dems at the elections earlier this month.

I look forward to working with residents, local organisations, staff, and other councillors across the district, to keep Three Rivers as the top rated council in Hertfordshire, delivering quality services that are value for money.

In Watford, Iain Sharpe has stood down after 22 years as Group Leader. His successor is Peter Taylor, who I first knew when he worked for Alistair Carmichael. I am particularly grateful to him for his hard work in filthy weather at the Livingston by-election in 2005 when he came up to help. Peter told the Watford Observer:

Posted in News | Also tagged ann shaw, hertfordshire, iain sharpe, Local government, peter taylor, sara bedford and watford | 3 Comments

Cutting council tax – the view from a Lib Dem council

By Matthew Bedford | Tue 6th March 2012 - 11:32 am

Liberal Democrat run Three Rivers District Council has just set its part of the council tax at an average of £154.30 – just over 2% BELOW the equivalent figure for 2006/07. This is a cash reduction, so next year people will be paying 2.3% less than they were paying six years earlier. When inflation is taken into account, the cut is almost 20%.

Only one other local authority (Hammersmith & Fulham) has achieved a cash reduction over this period – and unlike the London borough, Three Rivers was not previously run by a profligate Labour administration to provide easy targets for …

Posted in News | Also tagged council tax and shared services | 4 Comments

Senior Labour councillor moves to the Liberal Democrats

By Sara Bedford | Wed 23rd March 2011 - 9:01 am

Long-time Labour member and councillor Ron Spellen, currently Chairman of Three Rivers District Council, has left the Labour Party and joined the Liberal Democrats. Ron will defend his seat at May’s local elections as a Liberal Democrat.

The former Labour group leader and representative for Northwick ward, South Oxhey for many years, said “Today’s Labour Party is not the party I joined fifty years ago. It is now the Liberal Democrats who represent what I came into local politics to achieve – a determined effort to protect local people, promote their interests and consult with them about local issues. Three Rivers Liberal Democrats have always put the needs and wishes of residents priority over party politics.

Posted in News | Also tagged ann shaw, ron spellen and south oxhey | 6 Comments