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For the forthcoming GCSE results, we are pleased to see that government  is likely to use teacher assessments of each student’s grade; they should then allow individual students to appeal if necessary. Teachers know their students and assess their grades on the basis of mock exams, a student’s previous performance and their current circumstances.  These matters cannot all be individually assessed by a computer algorithm.

The colleges and employers to whom the students move on are perfectly capable of understanding the current exceptional circumstances. We believe also that students will need more support than normal as they start their new course of study and work.

Liberal Democrats believe the whole system needs to change to one in which tests and exams first and foremost serve the learning and progress of each student, not the overall performance of a school.

We also believe the system of GCSE assessment at age 16 needs to be replaced.  It is no longer the definitive stage from which students move out of education or training and a much more local and less expensive system needs to be in place.

Nigel Jones

17 August 2020

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Government has belatedly submitted to pressure and now done what Scotland had eventually done, i.e. use teacher assessments as the achieved grades of students.  This is an exceptional year and is the fairest way for the students. Universities and employers are perfectly capable of assessing students on this basis and then return to normal next year.

Government has made two huge errors. First, using a computer algorithm that could not take account of the exceptional circumstances and is wrongly geared to the overall system rather than fairness to each student.  Second, they fail to understand that teachers know their students and their assessments were based on mock exams, a students’ previous performance and a students’ current circumstances.

It has been suggested that the teams of examiners who would have marked and moderated students’ exam papers should have been used to moderate the teacher’s assessments, thereby focusing on the individuals, not the system as a whole.

Liberal Democrats believe it is time for government to realise that tests and examinations should be for the learning and progression of students, not the overall performance of schools. They form only part of the assessment process. External moderation should be used as part of a system of checks and balances, not the determinant of each student’s future progress in life.

Nigel Jones

17 August 2020

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Last September, the Supreme Court declared that Boris Johnson had broken the law, by proroguing Parliament, i.e. preventing it from meeting for debate.   He refused to admit this, saying that the court was interfering in politics.  It was not interfering; it was ensuring that politics was carried out in a democratic way.  In normal court proceedings if the accused refuses to show any regret for their actions they get a strong sentence.

Then in December, the Conservative manifesto stated that there would be a review of matters of this kind; few noticed this. Now it is clear that he means to allow greater freedoms for government led by him to do whatever suits them without challenge.

They have just announced (August 2020) plans to restrict judicial review, which is the main means by which citizens can challenge government if there are grounds for showing that government had not acted in accordance with our law and constitution.

They have also announced that a large number of Boris’ cronies will be placed in the House of Lords, the only other place that can challenge what is done in the House of Commons.

We also know that various major trade deals are being negotiated, which will greatly affect us all and they have resisted any attempt by MPs to have these debated in Parliament.

Any government that reacts to court rulings by changing the law and thereby preventing anyone from challenging their actions is despotic in nature.

Liberal Democrats will do all they can to stop Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings from undermining the rule of law, which is so fundamental to our society and democracy.

Nigel Jones

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Boris has announced planning reform, which will allow developers to bypass normal planning rules in order to build new homes and hospitals. LibDems say this is completely the wrong way to do it. It shows they are not serious about solving current crises. The Local Government Association (led by Conservatives) says there is planning permission for 1 million houses and developers are not building them. The developers constantly blame planning rules, but they have been wrong on this for at least ten years and they use the system for unethical financial advantage.  One of the biggest developers is Persimmons, who have behaved badly in our own locality and their CEO gave himself a massive pay rise recently.

Government keeps talking about helping people to get on the housing ladder, hence temporary cuts to stamp duty, but these and other Conservative measures only help those who have money and cause house prices to go on rising.  One of the key ingredients to solve the housing crisis is social housing to rent and the little that Theresa May did to allow councils to borrow was nowhere near enough. We are actually continuing to loose some social housing. LibDems say we should be building 100,000 social houses a year and work towards a total annual housing target (including affordable and luxury) of 300,000 a year by 2024.

Locally, our Conservative Borough Council announced last year they were working with Aspire Housing to build affordable homes, but that was for sale; no social housing included.  The local plan is so long overdue that two years ago government threatened stepping in and making a plan of their own. We LibDems sent in our detailed comments about a proposed local plan in February 2018 and we have still not had a reply.

Housing is a major factor in people’s living standards and contributes not only to inequality and unfairness for those less well off, it causes evictions and lack of supply when landlords refuse to accommodate people on benefits and housing benefit is a drain on the public purse.

My experience as a Borough Councillor taught me that improvements are needed in planning, but they require improved staffing and speed of process. Developers already have the upper hand, especially here in Newcastle, where there is no local plan and already some major developments have gone ahead in the wrong places, in spite of the planning authority’s opposition.

Nigel Jones

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I remain sad about David Becket’s death last week. He was a friend, a fellow councillor and local party activist, with whom I frequently enjoyed talking. To say he was an activist is an understatement; he was always ready to act and to comment, often critically. His critical comments included constructive suggestions. Indeed he contributed enormously to what we were able to say as a local party on a whole range of matters. At council meetings he would often open his voice with the words “I’m not happy” and that made officers prick their ears and listen, subsequently respecting the good that resulted from it.

His biggest contribution to the Borough was the way he revolutionised the organisation of waste and recycling on the Borough Council, enabling a huge rise in the amount recycled and gaining national awards.

I am grateful recently for the help he gave us in responding to the council’s proposed local plan; typically he identified key issues and did some research on these.

He contributed to our production of messages and leaflets on local and national issues; indeed he did so much, including for his ward of Halmer End and Betley, that he leaves a hole that should be filled somehow.

Although he was speedy in criticism, he also acknowledged when others made correct remarks and maintained friendship with everyone. He had high standards of behaviour.

He had a passion for community work and politics. His main concerns nationally were for the Environment, the Economy for the less well off and opposition to financial waste, bureaucracy and conservatism. He was a left-leaning Liberal of the best sort.

Nigel Jones

Secretary and former chair,

Newcastle under Lyme Liberal Democrats

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