The Lib Dem and Green Alliance councillors on Uttlesford District Council did not support the decision of the R4U led council last Wednesday to make an offer to Stansted Airport Lid (STAL) of £1.4m to cover the Airport's costs incurred at the Planning Appeal in March last year.

Green councillor Vere Isham (Takeley) told the meeting "As we watched the Appeal process play out, as we feared, our legal Counsel did not even attempt to defend the Planning Committee decision to refuse STAL permission to expand to 43mppa. The Inspectors panel dismissed the Council's "shrewd" alternative Condition 15 as unlawful. This resulted directly in an award by the Inspectors for costs against our Council because of its recklessness and unreasonableness.

Following the remarkable success for both parties nationally in the recent set of local elections on the 5^th May*, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors on Uttlesford District Council have agreed to formalise their close working relationship by forming a Liberal Democrat and Green Alliance voting group.

Uttlesford Liberal Democrat councillors are pleased to hear that the district council is likely to agree to their proposal to give a £100 Council Tax rebate to nearly one thousand low-income families in the district at the budget meeting on Tuesday 22^nd February.

Cllr Ayub Khan, the Lib Dem councillor who is proposing the rebate, said "The cost-of-living crisis has been growing in scale and impact over the last six months, with inflation now at a 30 year high that is yet to peak. Those on the lowest incomes are most exposed.

Cllr Melvin Caton, leader of the Uttlesford Liberal Democrats, will ask Uttlesford District Council this week to back a "Robin Hood tax" on energy giants to support families with their escalating heating bills and to write to Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State for Busimess, Energy & Industrial Strategy urging the Government to introduce the tax.

A series of free to attend, direct engagement events taking place across the East of England designed to hear what you, our members, have to say.

Each event will be opened via live stream on a giant screen by an independent political commentator. Adam Boulton (until recently Editor at large for Sky News) will open the first roadshow on Thursday 17 February in Bury St Edmunds.

Reacting to the news that Cllr John Lodge is unexpectedly resigning as Leader of Uttlesford District Council Cllr Melvin Caton (pictured), the leader of Liberal Democrat group on the council said " We welcome the news that John Lodge is stepping down as Leader. He has overpromised and under-delivered for the residents of Uttlesford."

The Liberal Democrat councillors on Uttlesford District Council have asked that the council should volunteer to house some refugees from Afghanistan, as part of the new Afghanistan citizens' settlement scheme announced by the Government today.

Cllr Melvin Caton, the leader of Liberal Democrats on the council said "Uttlesford has welcomed a number of Syrian families to the district in recent years following the civil war in that country. We should do the same for refugees that are fleeing their homes or face threats of persecution from the Taliban in Afghanistan."

All members of Liberal Democrat group on Uttlesford are part of a cross party group of thirteen councillors that have called for a vote of no confidence in the Leader and Cabinet of the Council led by the Residents of Uttlesford Party. Conservative, Green and Independent councillors form the rest of the signatories.