Manifesto launched for Bradford May elections

Group leader Councillor Ian Greenwood believes the district is crying out for “no-nonsense, strong and effective leadership” and sets out in the document the principles by which Labour would lead if they were running the Council.

The group’s key priorities are education, jobs and skills, housing and protecting the vulnerable, underpinned by addressing poverty, fairness to everyone and personal responsibility.

Coun Greenwood said: “A Council working together with other services and sectors and, most importantly, the people it represents can make a huge difference. But, to successfully restore pride and confidence, the district needs the strength of purpose, direction and leadership that only Labour is offering.”

Entitled “Labour Delivering – Whoever You Are, Wherever You Live”, the document also highlights what the Labour group claims is the Conservative and Liberal Democrat record in the district – including the fact that the Council was assessed as in the worst ten per cent in the country and is delivering the bare minimum in value for money.

The manifesto states: “We won’t pretend that we can do everything that needs to be done overnight or that it will be easy, but it can be done.

“There are some difficult decisions to be taken, we have to find ways of getting more out of the resources at our disposal and, as a matter of priority, we have to make sure that the Council balances its books which means that we can’t always give everyone what they want exactly when they want it.

“But there is a lot that we can do and much more that we can start working towards in order to tackle the barriers that hold people back in life, address poverty of aspiration and provide chances for everyone, whoever they are, wherever they live, to secure a good job, live in a decent home in a decent place and enjoy good health.”

It concludes by stating: “With the right leadership and determination, the Bradford district will succeed, regain its self-confidence and be a place where people can be proud of their past without being shackled to it. A Labour Council will play the leading role in bringing about that transformation.”

* The manifesto can be found at www.shipleylabour.co.uk

MAIN PLANKS OF THE MANIFESTO

A sustainable and clean environment:

* Strong leadership on sustainability

* Clear and ambitious targets for carbon reduction across the district.

* Energy efficiency measures and ratings for all Council buildings.

* Green driving training for all employees required

* Support for local suppliers of goods and services.

* All new developments to have a minimum of ten per cent on-site renewable energy where viable.

* Raising awareness and making recycling easier for all

* Measures to promote walking and cycling.

* District to be sufficiently well lit at night.

Health and quality of life:

* Tackling disadvantage through action on education, employment, housing and environmental improvements.

* Increase awareness of mental health issues and services.

* Work with police and communities to gather the information and intelligence to bring drug dealers to book.

* Deliver the Odsal Sports Village.

* Support for Labour’s free swimming initiative.

* Regeneration of parks and a major scheme for Cliffe Castle.

* Progress plans for a new central library.

* Fair policies on festivals and lights.

Supporting the district’s economy through difficult times:

* Small loans to families at risk of re-possession.

* Faster payment of invoices to local suppliers.

* Work with employers to promote apprenticeships and offer Council sponsored apprenticeships to young people.

* Work with landowners and developers to ensure sites like Broadway are put to good use while their development is mothballed.

* Develop a long-term strategy for transport.

The best start in life:

* Quality of education.

* Support to schools and transparency to be built in to the heart of any arrangement for Local Education Authority services.

* Investment in the library network.

* No compromises on child welfare, and protecting and enhancing Sure Start.

A decent home, a decent place, a decent district:

* Work with social landlords to deliver more homes at affordable rents.

* Fair and transparent housing allocations.

* No fortnightly refuse collections.

* All services to take action on discrimination and disadvantage.

* Promotion of English language classes.

* More uniformed patrols.

Quality care and support:

* Putting power in the hands of service users.

* More help for people to live at home for longer.

* No home closures without affordable alternatives in place and the welfare of all residents being assured.

* Greater capacity to give carers respite.

A fair deal from public services:

* Affordable levels of council tax with clarity about what any increases are for.

* Protection of core services for all and priority for key services to the most vulnerable.

* Working with staff to improve services, morale and reduce sickness.

* Reduce Council office accommodation costs, increase energy efficiency.

* Explore the feasibility of a new civic building.