Harlow's Liberal Democrats have launched their manifesto for the local election campaign. Entitled Making the Difference in Harlow, the manifesto sets out local Liberal Democrats' priorities:

• open spaces


• a decent place to live (housing)


• children and young people


• crime and safety


• recycling and rubbish


• parking and transport


• clean streets


• value for money.

In his introduction to the manifesto, local Liberal Democrat council leader Chris Millington says:

"The consistent factor in the council's improvement since 2002 has been the Liberal Democrats. Alone or with other parties, we've worked hard for the improvements local people want, and for a better council. And we're the only party that keeps in touch all year round with news of what we're doing and why."

Harlow's Liberal Democrats have launched a petition against the proposed closure of Brays Grove School.

The petition opposes the closure of the school on the grounds that it would lead to a reduction in choice for pupils and parents and potential overcrowding of other schools. It also calls on Essex County Council to work with others to find alternative ways forward for secondary education that would keep all Harlow's current secondary schools open.

Harlow Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman Lorna Spenceley says:

"The vast majority of local residents don't support Essex County Council's proposals to close Brays Grove School. Even more have serious questions about MP Bill Rammell's alternative proposal, to move Passmores School onto the vacant Brays Grove site. Many parents feel that decisions are being made over their heads, and that they're not being given the chance to make their views heard."

As an alternative to the usual paper-based petition, residents can choose to sign on the internet. Copies of the petition are also available online for residents to download and collect signatures, as well as from Harlow Liberal Democrats on 020 8020 2942.

Essex County Council will shortly publish a formal notice of its intention to close Brays Grove School. Residents will then have up to six weeks to lodge objections. If objections are received, the matter must be referred to the county's School Organisation Committee. If the School Organisation Committee is not unanimous, the proposal to close the school will be decided by the national Schools Adjudicator.

Harlow Liberal Democrats plan to present the petition to the School Organisation Committee.

Commenting on the news that Princess Alexandra Hospital will have to make savings to repay a debt of between £6.5 and £7 million over the next two years, Harlow's Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman Lorna Spenceley said:

"It's hard to believe that savings of this size will be achieved at our local hospital with no negative effects on the services available to Harlow patients. Government ministers are in denial about the financial crisis in our NHS. They constantly tell us that frontline services are being protected despite repeated announcements of hundreds of job losses in hospitals such as PAH. The Government's only strategy seems to be to hope that the problem will go away of its own accord - meanwhile wasting more and more precious cash on unwanted health service reorganisations instead of patient care."

Local Liberal Democrats have nominated a full slate of candidates for all 12 vacancies to be filled in the Harlow council elections on 4 May:

• Bush Fair: Cllr Eleanor Macy
• Church Langley: Robert Pailing
• Great Parndon: Ian Rideout
• Harlow Common: Alan Lawrence
• Little Parndon & Hare Street: Richard Farnsworth
• Mark Hall: Cllr Robert Thurston
• Netteswell: Linda Pailing
• Old Harlow & Churchgate Street: Nick Macy
• Staple Tye: Cllr Lorna Spenceley, Chris Robins
• Sumners & Kingsmoor: Kuzna Jackson
• Toddbrook: Paul Westlake