Who would spend a sunny, hot Bank Holiday Saturday indoors? Well, new and long-standing local Lib Dems did just that this weekend. What follows is the press statement they issued after the event.

Local members and supporters of the Liberal Democrats are up by more than a third so far this year, with the biggest boost following the elections in May and June.

Last Saturday existing and new members met in the historic Great Dunmow Maltings to review their priorities and to plan the relaunch of the party’s Dunmow Branch.

Said Dunmow member, Simon Carpenter: “With a fresh intake of local members and supporters and with local and national politics so high in people’s minds, we decided a Bank Holiday Saturday was the right time to look forward to what we can do to address local people’s concerns.

“We are planning a programme of political and social events with and for our members over the coming autumn and winter.”

Constituency party chairman from Stansted, Geoffrey Sell, added: “There will be lots going on in Dunmow, Saffron Walden, Stansted and Thaxted branches. Saturday was only the start. We talked about Uttlesford’s Local Plan and how the proposed Garden Settlements should be designed. We heard about Brexit and its damaging implications for local British and Continental citizens. Tackling the Climate Emergency was the top theme of the day.”

Uttlesford Council’s Lib Dem group leader, Alan Dean, added: “We live in troubling and uncertain times, so local Liberal Democrats intend to be at the forefront of making Uttlesford a most desirable place to live and work for all residents and employees. We want the proposed new Garden Communities to have the top designs, the most affordable and energy-efficient housing, the right jobs, the best timed and quality infrastructure. All of it has to be maintained to the highest standards for generations to come.”

The Bank Holiday weekend gathering at The Maltings of some 20 members and supporters will help to develop Lib Dem plans and community networks of like-minded people over the coming autumn.