Southwark Council Taxpayers have faced an average 14% a year tax rise from Labour Members of the Greater London Authority. Working with Labour Mayor Ken Livingstone, Labour's Assembly Members have backed big rises in the "GLA Precept" charged on Council Tax bills. Rises have been much bigger than inflation and have ranged as high as 29% in one year.
All the Liberal Democrat-controlled councils in London have backed the 2 Million Voices campaign, asking the government to review the environmental consequences of plans for a third runway at Heathrow.
Southwark Liberal Democrats joined protestors at City Hall on Sunday as the Olympic torch passed through the borough to register their protest about the Chinese government's occupation of Tibet and their record on human rights.
Commenting, Cllr Nick Stanton, Lib Dem Leader of Southwark Council, said:
"The recent suppression of protests by the Tibetan people has highlighted the brutality of the regime and its poor record on human rights.
Cllr Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem GLA candidate for Lambeth and Southwark, responding to Camberwell and Peckham MP Harriet Harman's decision to wear a stab proof vest during a walk about with police in the constituency, said:
"This is further proof that Labour and this government are out of touch with people in south London. First the Home Secretary says that she wouldn't visit Peckham without a Police escort and now we see Labour's deputy leader further undermining the area.
Lib Dem GLA candidate for Lambeth and Southwark, Cllr Caroline Pidgeon joined Simon Hughes MP and local councillors and campaigners at Post Office Ltd's HQ to hand in a petition signed by over 3,500 people against the planned closures of local branches in the two boroughs.
Commenting, Caroline said:
"The support from local residents for our local post offices has been overwhelming and shows the central role that these branches play in the lives of people in both Lambeth and Southwark.
Southwark Liberal Democrats have launched their campaign to fight the latest government threat to Southwark's post offices.
Local Liberal Democrats are campaigning to reduce overcrowding on the 381 and C10 bus services in Rotherhithe.
Surrey Docks Lib Dem councillors last year campaigned for TfL to introduce a rail replacement bus service between Canada Water and Rotherhithe stations that would stop to pick up passengers along the route. TfL agreed to the replacement bus, but have angered local residents by refusing to collect passengers between the two stations.
Nick Clegg MP, the new Leader of the Liberal Democrats, chose Bacon’s College in Rotherhithe for his first visit as party leader. On Wednesday morning, Nick, along with Simon Hughes MP, new Riverside Councillor Anood Al-Samerai and Caroline, joined Sixth Formers for a wide-ranging discussion.
Cllr Nick Stanton, Lib Dem Leader of Southwark Council joined Caroline and Lib Dem Leadership Candidate Chris Huhne MP on a visit to the new Salmon Youth Centre in Bermondsey. The team looked at the different facilities on offer, including the climbing wall on the roof, and the environmental green roof to the sports hall.
On Saturday 27th October, Caroline was one of the guest speakers at the Idale Cultural Consortium’s Slaves of Rapparee exhibition and symposium. Caroline was delighted to speak about the importance of Black History Month and the significance of the exhibition which highlighted the story of the ship ‘the London’ and the slave trade, which crashed to shore in Ilfracombe, North Devon.