SOLIHULL LIBERAL DEMOCRATS HEAD FOR CONFERENCE

9.52.45am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 28th Feb 2007

Liberal Democrats in Solihull will be heading to Harrogate this weekend for the party's spring conference.

The Liberal Democrats are the only major party to be deciding policy this spring, with Labour having cancelled their conference and the Conservatives making no new policy decisions.

Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt will be joining her colleagues in Harrogate and is hoping to speak in the debate on cutting crime.

"Liberal Democrats are in good heart and we are looking forward to a great conference," said Lorely Burt. "I am aiming to speak in the crime debate in support of calls to make prisons work, expanding drug rehabilitation and work training programmes to cut down on re-offending.

"We will also be debating and voting on moves to introduce restorative justice replacing short prison sentences with double the length of community service, set by local community boards along with the victims of crime."

Mrs Burt will also be conducting a major crime survey in Solihull over the coming few weeks.

"The conference will be a boost for our local campaigning as we move towards council elections in May and I am looking forward to reporting back to local members on the debates we will be holding."

The main conference debates will include tackling crime, providing more housing for local people whilst cutting pollution from homes, the future of Britain's nuclear deterrent and Britain's waterways.