Harlow's Liberal Democrat team has been inundated with responses to its recent FOCUS on the bins survey. We spent most of the day at Cllr Lesley Rideout's house today, writing to thank people who've sent their responses back, and making sure we pick up all the queries and problems that residents have raised.

A number of residents have asked for more information about the council's 'assisted collection' scheme for rubbish, and we'll be sending out information about this shortly to those who have requested it.

We'll also be reporting back in due course on what residents have said in response to the questions we've asked. With hundreds of completed survey forms to work through, this may take a little while, but please be assured your local Liberal Democrats are on the case!

"Sir,-

The appointment of Harlow MP Bill Rammell to the Foreign Office suggests that Labour have finally given up on Harlow. If Labour believed there was a hope of holding this seat, they would have kept him at home looking after his wafer-thin majority, rather than giving him an overseas portfolio including the Middle East and the USA which will keep his attention abroad until the next election.

However, any worries this appointment may give Bill's Harlow constituents are as nothing, compared to the concerns which may justifiably be felt abroad. For Harlow's MP is no stranger to the Foreign Office. During his last tour of duty there, it was Bill who was responsible for blocking the attempts of thousands of Chagossian islanders to return to their rightful home in Diego Garcia. The government's approach to this matter was described by two judges at a high court appeal as illegal, repugnant and irrational.

And now reports in the national media suggest that when last in the Foreign Office, Bill Rammell had been personally informed by the Red Cross of the torture of Iraqi prisoners by American forces in Abu Ghraib jail. However, it is reported that he did nothing, and apparently failed to pass on the information about this international scandal to any other member of the Government. Two months later, Tony Blair said that neither he nor his ministers were aware of what was going on at Abu Ghraib. Why hadn't Bill told him?

Given his previous record at the Foreign Office, Bill Rammell's appointment must be viewed with considerable alarm - and not a little outrage.

Yours faithfully,

Cllr Lorna Spenceley
Liberal Democrat"

Harlow Liberal Democrats received a 'Highly Commended' award at the Liberal Democrats' annual East of England conference in Huntingdon.

The award, for membership, was presented by the party's president Simon Hughes MP, and received by local party chairman David Wright.

Seven local parties in the East of England were short-listed for the regional membership award. Harlow followed just behind the outright winner, Chelmsford. Local party chairman David Wright said:

"Over the past year, membership of Harlow Liberal Democrats has risen by 25 per cent, at a time when the membership of many parties is falling.

Party leader Nick Clegg has launched a challenge to knock on a million doors across the UK, and our members here in Harlow are working hard to deliver their share of this.

Under Nick Clegg's leadership, the Liberal Democrats have a strong statement of our vision and values, and are the only party in Britain today with a serious and credible plan to get Britain's economy back on its feet."