A member of the Liberal Democrats since 2001, Tom joined the party to campaign for Paul Holmes to be elected as MP for Chesterfield. For Tom the main issues in this General Election are increasing NHS funding, ensuring that pensions are protected, and making sure the UK gets the best possible deal when leaving the EU so that we don't damage the economy resulting in a major loss of jobs.

Tom Snowdon announced that the Liberal Democrats would plug funding gaps for the NHS and social care by putting a penny on income tax, in their first major manifesto commitment of the election campaign.

The tax would raise an additional £105.2 million for Derbyshire, with £76 million for the NHS and £29.2 million for social care each year.

Chesterfield Liberal Democrats support the council stance as we think it is the best interests of the residents of Chesterfield; in fact we saw the benefit of being part of the structure eight years ago.

As a result of the extensive discussions the Liberal Democrat Group supported the council's application for full membership of the Sheffield City region.The alternative - to become full members of the North Midlands region (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) - has been evaluated but currently looks less favourable; however their offer is still being developed. We are assured that, should their subsequent offer prove more favourable, it is possible to change our stance at a later date.

The Liberal Democrats have committed to ending the scandal of rough sleeping in Britain, as the Homelessness Reduction Bill enters into force today.

Following a campaign visit to the Hundred Houses Society, a charitable housing association in Cambridge, Tim Farron announced a series of measures the party would put in place to help end rough sleeping.

Over 500 10 year olds in Chesterfield are obese, according to government data released today.

Despite the Conservative's publication last year of a Childhood Obesity Plan, over a third of 10 year olds in England are overweight, and one in five classed as obese.

Public Health England regards childhood obesity as one of the most serious public health challenges for the 21st century. Obese children and adolescents are at an increased risk of developing various health problems, and are also more likely to become obese adults.

The Liberal Democrat membership surge is about to take the party to a landmark 100,000 members - thanks to a staggering 12,500 joining since Theresa May announced the snap General Election last Tuesday.

Reaching six figures makes the party bigger than it has been since the mid-1990s and puts it on course to reach its highest membership ever within days. The biggest the party has been since its formation is 101,768 in 1994.

Your Liberal Democrats Derbyshire County Council election candidates:

Birdholme - Amanda Brassington

Boythorpe & Brampton: Keith Falconer

Brimington - Tony Rogers

Loundsley Green & Newbold - Tom Snowdon

Spire - Maggie Cannon

St Mary's - Matthew Genn

Staveley: Stephen Hartley

Staveley North & Whittington: Barry Bingham

A Liberal Democrat motion designed to kill the Government's attempts to severely restrict disability benefits has been lost after Labour peers failed to support it.

The move follows an announcement by the Government that they will be tightening the criteria for claimants of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) which could see diabetics and those with mental illnesses stuck without support.

The average UK household has lost £21.31 in the past three months as supermarket prices rise due to Brexit inflation, research by Kantar Worldpanel has found.

The research found supermarket prices jumped by 2.3% in the 12 weeks to March 26, with the price of staples including butter, fish, tea and skincare all rising.

Many of you will have seen the shocking news about the condition and state of the Old Magistrates Court just yards from the Borough Offices. It has now emerged that there has been rough sleeping, drinking, extensive vandalism and even hard and illegal drug use within the building. On a very basic level the vandalism has reached dreadful proportions with most windows smashed and the doors broken and open to the elements.