This newsletter marks Darren Fower's tenth year as a Liberal Democrat city councillor for South Werrington and North Gunthorpe, highlighting his community contributions and ongoing local issues ahead of the May 22 elections. Fower emphasizes the area's high standards while advocating for improvements such as safe crossings and youth services, and he criticizes recent pay rises for council directors. The newsletter also links local elections with the European Parliamentary elections, stressing the importance of trade with the EU for local jobs.

1. News from Lib Dem councillors
Julia Davidson & Darren Fower
Issue number 83
SOUTH WERRINGTON & NORTH GUNTHORPE
RESIDENTS’ NEWSLETTER
DARREN’S 10 YEAR RECORD
This is Darren Fower’s tenth year as your Liberal Democrat city councillor,
having first been elected to represent the area in 2004.
Over the past decade, Darren has hand-delivered thousands of newsletters,
supported a variety of community groups, taken up hundreds of issues and resolved
many, many concerns.
Darren said: “The past ten years have flown by! Seriously, having the opportunity
to represent this area is a real privilege. The area has a good mix of people but
equally impressive is the commitment and care shown by local residents to maintain
the high standards that we have in this area.”
Speaking ahead of this year’s local elections on 22 May Darren said: “The
standards of this area are high. We are in the top 2 per cent of areas in the city for
many things – including education standards, employment levels and, dare I say,
electoral turnout!
“That said, there is still much to do. We must have a safe crossing outside
Norwood School; we must address ongoing speeding on local streets such as
Coniston Road, Gunthorpe Road, Fulbridge Road and elsewhere; we must look to
protect our green open spaces; we must improve and increase youth service
provision; and we must make sure that the voice of this area continues to be heard
in the Council Chamber!”
If you agree with Darren, please support him on Thursday 22 May 2014 by
voting for Darren Fower, YOUR local Liberal Democrat Focus Team candidate!
If you’d like to help Darren’s campaign or assist him and the team on election
day by taking voters’ numbers at polling stations, delivering newsletters, offering
lifts or simply making coffee then please contact him as soon as possible.
FOCUS
CONTACT FOCUS
Text or phone your local Liberal Democrat councillors:
Darren Fower – 07572 463 904 Julia Davidson – 0750 653 66 27
By post: Town Hall, Bridge St, Peterborough PE1 1HG By e-mail: SWNG_FOCUS@peterboroughlibdems.org.uk
Via Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Flickr: Search for ‘SWNGFOCUSTeam’
Or visit the councillors’ ward ‘surgery':
6:00 to 7:00 pm, first Friday every month - Community Centre, Church Street
9:00 to 10:00 am , third Saturday every month - Brookside Methodist Church, Gunthorpe Rd
LOCAL AND EUROPEAN ELECTIONS
Thursday 22 May
Make YOUR vote count
Above and below – Darren
‘out and about’.

2. The records compared
The local elections on Thursday 22 May are
about local issues and how hard your local
representatives are working for you throughout
the year.
Once again, this year’s local election will be
between your local Liberal Democrat FOCUS Team
candidate, Darren Fower, and the Conservatives.
So let’s compare two existing councillors for this
area from the parties asking for your votes in May:
Cllr
Darren
Fower
Cllr
Paula
Thacker
Political party Liberal
Democrat
FOCUS
Team
Conservative
Party
Annual salary
(approx)
£8,000 £14,000
Holds monthly
‘ward surgeries’
Yes No
Has a dedicated
online blog
Yes No
Undertakes
resident surveys
Yes No
Number of
questions asked in
past year at full
council meetings
11 0
Number of motions
submitted to full
council in past year
2 0
Opposed closure
of children's
centres
Yes No
Opposed closure
of adult care
centres
Yes No
Opposed massive
pay rises for senior
council officers
Yes No
Provides a regular
FOCUS newsletter
to report back
about work done
Yes No
The election on 22 May will choose one councillor for
this area to work alongside existing Liberal Democrat
city councillor Julia Davidson. Her seat is not up for
election this year.
Darren walks out in
council pay protest
Your local Liberal Democrat councillor Darren
Fower, along with fellow ward councillor Julia
Davidson and other Lib Dem councillors, walked
out in protest at a recent council meeting.
They were objecting to the massive rises in pay for
some directors which have been forced through by
the ruling Conservative administration.
Councillors were not given an opportunity to vote
on the pay rises.
Darren told the council meeting: “This whole
process stinks. People are outraged by these huge
rises at a time when services are being cut.
“Despite this, we are told we can’t influence these
decisions tonight. We therefore have no other option
but show our feelings and those of local residents by
leaving the council chamber.”
Pay rises of up to 30 per cent for some directors
were voted through in secret at a meeting of the
council’s Employment Committee in February with
the support of Conservative and Independent
members. The Labour representative was absent
from the meeting – ie, did not bother to attend!
In Europe : In work
Elections to the European Parliament will take
place on 22 May alongside council elections in
Werrington and across the city.
Peterborough’s Lib Dem Euro MP Andrew Duff has
worked alongside others to secure new EU trade
deals with countries like the US and South Korea
that are worth billions to the British economy each
year.
Andrew said: “These deals mean it will be easier
for local companies to trade with the EU and beyond
- helping to protect local jobs. We are also working to
cut back on red tape, to help small businesses.”
“All this and millions of jobs across the UK will be
put at risk if UKIP and the Conservatives get their
way and pull Britain out of Europe.”
Local council candidate Darren Fower said: “Being
in the EU is vital for local prosperity, with thousands
of jobs in Peterborough dependent on trade with
Europe.
“May’s European elections are going to be a key
part of this battle. A vote for the Lib Dems is the only
vote to stay in Europe and protect millions of British
jobs – including many right here in Peterborough.”
Printed by PPS, Peterborough PE1 5XG. Published and promoted for and on behalf of the Liberal Democrats by Peter Chivall, 88 Elmfield Rd, Peterborough PE1 4HB
Local MEP Andrew Duff warns that
jobs in Peterborough will be at risk if
the Tories or UKIP win the European
elections – and then carry out their
plans to pull Britain out of Europe.