Happy New Year 2007

12.01.00am GMT Mon 1st Jan 2007

Happy New Year everyone! 2007 looks set to be a busy year. As of today I am now the West Midlands Liberal Democrats regional Vice-Chair.

Amongst the things I want to achieve while Vice-Chair is improve communications within the Region, between the Region and local parties, and between the Region and individual members. There are a range of ways in which we can build on the work that has taken place, I hope in the next few weeks to have various members of the new Regional Executive podcast on their aims for the year. If you have any other suggestions of how you'd like to see the Region improve its communications, or indeed questions for members of the Executive to respond to via their podcast, then email me.

2007 is set to be an eventful year for me. In May there are the local elections across the Region, some of which will be tough contests. In the next few weeks and months I will be doing training, with Mike Dixon in Birmingham, to prepare local campaign teams. In Wolverhampton I hope Robin Lawrence will succeed in winning Park ward, having come within only 128 votes of winning last time. I will again be standing in Tettenhall Regis, and hope to spring a surprise on the incumbent Tory. All of this will keep me busy.

Of course it's not all politics, and in May I'll be attending my friends Miranda Piercy and Shaun Roberts wedding in Florida. My mother also turns sixty in 2007.

In the Autumn of 2007 the Region will be selecting their candidates for the European elections in 2009. Again, this will keep me busy.

I hope you have a great 2007 and that we see the Liberal Democrats continue to grow in strength across the West Midlands and beyond.