After cross- pary support from 3 women MPs, including Layla Moran of the Liberal Democrats, earier this week, in open court, lawyers acting on behalf of Government admitted it had breached the law by persistently failing to publish details of COVID-19 contracts.

The Director of the Good Law Proeject reports:

The government launched the National Model Design Code last month.

Releasing important consultations over the weekend has become rather a tradition for MHCLG. Maybe they're not fans of The Masked Singer.

Key to the Design Code is a belief that beautiful design can be objectively determined, and that people are more likely to support development in their area if the new neighbourhood looks attractive.

The Local Governement Boundary Commission has reported back on the submissions made by various people and organisations following their invitation to make suggestions on the ward boundaries for Derbyshire Dales.

A summary of their findings is here

A map of their new wards is here

The detailed reasoning for their decisions is here

Residents in the Derbyshire Dales who are asked to self isolate by the NHS are to benefit from changes to the Test and Trace Support Payment Fund run by the District Council on behalf of the Government. The Council held an emergency meeting tonight (Thursday 4 February) to review the existing scheme. The Council will now offer £500 payments to anyone who is unable to work whilst self isolating for 10 days if they will face "financial difficulty". The previous scheme was based on applicants being in receipt of Council Tax Support, but its complexity meant that only 2 payments had been made since September 2020. Most of the cost of the new scheme, which runs until March 31st, will be met by the Government, but the Council will utilise up to £15,000 of its own funds if necessary. The scheme will also be more actively promoted via the Council's website and in its publicity. The new scheme was supported by all the political groups on the Council, as well as Independent Members.

People looking after loved ones during Covid are doing a remarkable job, in very difficult circumstances. They deserve much more support.

Millions of unpaid carers have faced serious financial hardship during the pandemic, and the Government's plan for an extra 5p a day is frankly an insult.

Let's face it: carers have been overlooked by those in power for too long.

It's time for that to change - and I'm determined that the Liberal Democrats will lead that change.

Back our campaign to increase Carer's Allowance: https://t.co/fEuCr3X858 pic.twitter.com/ShW6HVxBgV

- Ed Davey MP 🔶🇪🇺 (@EdwardJDavey) February 3, 2021

Effective consultation is needed before this far reaching step is taken by Highfields School, Matlock

Dales resident receives convincing scam 'NHS' email.

A Dales resident and Lib Dem member reports being sent an impressively authentic looking email inviting her to book her coronavirus vaccination appointment.

It was only when the fake booking site suggested that she might like to make a payment to have her vaccination in the next few days rather than wait weeks that alarm bells starting ringing and she realised it was a scam.

Since becoming leader Ed Davey has been out and about in between lock-downs

He has made a short film on his journey which you can watch here Building a fairer, more caring United Kingdom (libdems.org.uk)

Boris Johnson says there will come a time to learn the lessons of the pandemic, but the public will rightly ask, if not now, then when? The best time to learn lessons and prevent the most deaths is today.

The Prime Minister can't tell us exactly when schools will return safely, can't tell us when most of the country will be offered a vaccine and can't tell us when the current lockdown will end.

It was weeks into the first lockdown before the vulnerability of those whose job was to care for the elderly in care homes became a concern to government with the acknowledgement that they needed proper PPE and not something improvised from bin liners and old sheets.

The same carers seemed to be forgotten in the roll out of testing as well and now a 'hidden army' of carers whose work is not in a care facility but in the actual home of the person they are caring for are experiencing problems in getting vaccinated.