Southampton City Council

The Liberal Democrat Council Group 2008

The Liberal Democrats took control of the Administration of Southampton City Council following success at the local council elections in 2003. This was the first time the City's Administration had changed for 19 years, and the first time a party with 'Liberal' in its name had led the City since before the First World War. They successfully ran the council for four years until the local elections in 2007.

When the Liberal Democrats formed the adminstration on Southampton City Council, they had a difficult task given the political split and the fact they did not have a majority but one we were please to do for the good of the people of Southampton.

The current political composition in Southampton is:

• Liberal Democrat 8

• Conservative 26

• Labour 14

When the Liberal Democrats ran the council we:

• Set up initiatives to fight Anti Social Behaviour, including City Patrol Officers, City Safety and Youth Services

• Invested in Improvements to Local Areas, including improvements to shopping parades, litter bins on routes to schools and a special vehicle to clean major roads more regularly without having to close the road to traffic

• Launched an £18.5 Million Pound Scheme to reverse years of neglect of our Roads and Pavements

• Opened up all meetings so that all key decisions are now made in public after consultation

• Increased recycling from 11% to 35% with the introduction of doorstep collection of recyclables with the twin bin scheme before the Labour and Conservative groups combined to cancel the Alternative Weekly collection scheme and drop the rate back to 24%.

• Took difficult but important decisions on primary school re-organisation, secondary school re-organisation and the travellers site that previous administrations had failed to take.

For a full list of Liberal Democrat achievements in adminstration from 2003 to 2007 see :-

Southampton Liberal Democrat Achievements 2003 - 2007.

And during the 2005 year of a minority Liberal Democrat adminstration a large number of awards were gained see :-

Southampton City Council 2005 Awards.

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The Liberal Democrat Group

There are currently 8 Liberal Democrat Councillors serving on Southampton City Council :-

• Bassett Ward: Liz Mizon - Sheriff of Southampton, Spokeperson on Housing and Local Services and is a member of Safer Communities Scrutiny Panel, Standards & Governance Committee, Assessment Sub-Committee, Local Determinations Hearing Panel

• Coxford Ward: Peter Galton - is spokesperson on Leisure, Culture and Heritage and is a member of Environment & Sustainability Scrutiny Panel, Hampshire Fire & Rescue Panel

• Millbrook Ward: Ceren Davis - is member of the Planning & Rights of Way Committee, Employment & Appeals Panel.

• Peartree Ward: Gerry Drake - Chair of the Liberal Democrat council group, spokesperson for the group on Adult Social Care & Health and is a member of Overview & Scrutiny Management Panel, Licensing Committee, and Healthy City Scrutiny Panel

• Peartree Ward: John Slade - is a member of Standards & Governance Committee, Assessment Appeals Sub-Committee, Hampshire, Portsmouth & Southampton Strategic Planning Joint Advisory Panel

• Portswood Ward: Steve Sollitt - Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Spokesperson on Economic Development plus Resources and Workforce Planning and is a member of Economic Well Being Scrutiny Panel.

• Portswood Ward: Jill Baston - Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Spokesperson on Environment and Transport, and is a member of Overview & Scrutiny Management Panel, Chief Officer Employment Panel , and Healthy City Scrutiny Panel

• Swaythling Ward: Dave Beckett - is spokesperson on Children's Services, Young People and Skills and is a member of Children & Young People Scrutiny Panel as well as the Audit Committee.

Related links :-

Southampton City Council.

Councillor Contacts.