Herefordshire Conservatives

Transcription

1 Herefordshire Conservatives Working for you THE MANIFESTO FOR A BETTER COUNTY Herefordshire Council Elections 7 May 2015

2 A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM COUNCIL LEADER TONY JOHNSON Dear Herefordshire Resident The May 2015 Herefordshire Council election will be critical. Over the course of the last four years the Conservative administration has delivered the pledges it made in its 2011 manifesto. It has attracted in excess of 150m of inward investment, overseen the development of one of the UK s most successful cattle markets and a retail and leisure development on the old cattle market site; delivered fibre broadband to 45,000 businesses and homes; is delivering an Enterprise Zone in Rotherwas and is poised to deliver new road infrastructure that will enable the creation of thousands of new homes and jobs. All of this, and much more, has been delivered against a background of a 40 percent reduction in government funding to local authorities, increased demand for services and significant political opposition. The Herefordshire Conservative group has three main priorities: 1. protection of the most vulnerable 2. giving children and young people the best possible start in life 3. delivering the infrastructure and an environment that will encourage the building of new homes and the creation of new jobs. Further reductions in funding and the continuing challenge of social care mean that the next four years will be very tough. Herefordshire Conservatives have demonstrated that they have the experience and skills to manage these challenges while delivering against their priorities. My colleagues and I have written this manifesto to build on our achievements, and make realistic pledges that can and will be delivered. If you want a council team that is determined to deliver Herefordshire as an even better place to live and work, where ambition and determination are rewarded not stifled, then I urge you to vote for a Conservative councillor in your area on Thursday 7th May We are committed to positive action, not just saying no. Thank You Tony CLLR TONY JOHNSON LEADER, HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL 2 A Record of Action a Promise of More

3 WORKING FOR JOBS GOOD JOBS SUPPORTING THE ECONOMY The new livestock market is now one of the leading markets in the country The Old Market retail centre brought 90 million of private investment into the county and created over 1,000 jobs Fibre broadband is now available to over 45,000 premises enabling Herefordshire s businesses to compete in the global marketplace The Rotherwas link road has protected 2,000 jobs at the Enterprise Zone - Skylon Park Herefordshire Conservatives will continue to develop further high quality employment sites throughout the county We will continue to work with the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to secure government investment to support our economy and the new university A Conservative council will invest 2.5 million in Hereford City centre to revitalise High Town. We will facilitate the rejuvenation of the Buttermarket Fibre broadband will be available to all who need it by 2018 Average wages in Herefordshire are the lowest in the UK - ten percent below average. That's why investing to deliver jobs, especially better paid jobs, and more homes has been and is one of the Herefordshire Conservatives top three priorities for the council The difficulties for people wanting housing in Herefordshire is compounded by having the worst affordability level within the West Midlands - making it very hard for people, particularly the young, to get on the housing ladder Those who opposed our ambitious plans for the development of the Old Market, the building of the new Livestock Market and the Rotherwas relief road, have been proved very visibly wrong A Record of Action - a Promise of More 3

4 WORKING FOR PROSPERITY ROADS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOMES A 43 million grant has been secured to build the city link road from Edgar Street to Aylestone Hill, and the southern link road that will connect the A465 to the A49 Parish Councils and community groups are being supported to develop Neighbourhood Plans so that local people have a real say In 2014/15, 116 miles of roads will have been repaired or resurfaced, and 65,000 potholes filled. 1.4million has been spent on numerous road safety improvements throughout the county Herefordshire Conservatives are committed to delivering a comprehensive road and transport improvement scheme to unlock opportunity and prosperity for all The Local Development Framework (LDF) will be approved, stopping speculative development and supporting the building of new homes in Hereford City, the market towns and rural areas to meet local needs A Conservative council will continue to invest to save in, for example, LED street lighting, highways maintenance, safety improvements and flood alleviation Flood relief schemes have been completed at, for example, Yazor Brook, Hereford or Rudhall Brook, Ross-on-Wye We will continue our Unclassified and C-class roads repair scheme giving Parish Councils the option of taking responsibility for these roads Without the planned relief roads, the success of the Enterprise Zone and the New University will be limited as will the enthusiasm of companies wanting to relocate to the county The Hereford relief road will enable the delivery of 6,500 new homes, thousands of jobs, better traffic management, reduced congestion and improved air quality Every year a tenth of the county s population leaves to work elsewhere. Without roads and infrastructure we will not attract the investment or employers to secure our children s future 4 A Record of Action - a Promise of More

5 WORKING FOR OPPORTUNITY EDUCATION & SKILLS INVESTING IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE Herefordshire schools 2014 GCSE & A- Level results exceeded the UK average. In 2014 it was one of only six authorities with improving GCSE grades. Lobbying the Dept for Education by Herefordshire Conservatives secured an extra 2.6 million for our schools We have ensured that the Conservative led council has invested to improve school facilities a new Leominster primary school, a temporary replacement school in Colwall, and extensions to the special educational needs schools at Westfields (Leominster) and Blackmarston (Hereford) Nearly all of our 3 to 4 year olds are in nursery placements, helping to meet our aim of giving Herefordshire s children a great start in life Herefordshire Conservatives will support the world class technology and engineering university by making redundant council owned land and buildings available We will ensure that the council works with schools to ensure that educational achievement is in the top quarter UK-wide We will continue to lobby the Government for additional funding to improve the fabric of our existing schools and to provide additional opportunity for preschool and nursery provision Children s safeguarding services, graded as inadequate in 2012, have in 2014, been upgraded to requiring improvement. These should be graded good by 2016 Giving children a great start in life education, health and opportunity - continues to be one of Herefordshire Conservatives top three priorities In Herefordshire over four out of five primary schools and almost nine out of ten secondary schools have good or outstanding Ofsted ratings The New University could, it is estimated, generate 120million a year extra income for the county, create over 500 jobs and help boost local companies A Record of Action - a Promise of More 5

6 A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE WELLBEING & COMMUNITY The Conservative council has invested in improved leisure facilities in Hereford, Ledbury, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye We have continued to invest in the expansion of a safe cycling network across Hereford City We have supported families to achieve better education results and better paid employment opportunities The Masters House in Ledbury has been renovated and is now an exciting new library and community facility. Local groups have been supported to manage community libraries throughout the county Herefordshire Conservatives will deliver public health programmes that help people to live a healthy lifestyle, reducing the need for formal care We will create local wellbeing centres that provide residents with the advice, information and guidance they need to keep safe, to remain independent and to live for longer in their own homes We will pilot a Community Coordinator scheme to build local capacity and enable vulnerable people to live within welcoming and supportive communities We will work closely with the police and other agencies to target crime and anti-social behaviour across the county In 2015 the council will spend over 100 million in total on looking after the most vulnerable children and adults in the county. Care for this group is one of the Conservatives top priorities According to the 2011 census, 21,000 citizens regularly provide at least one hour of care per week for someone with long term ill health, disability or frailty In ,800 residents in Herefordshire were aged 65 or over and by 2030 that will rise to over 61,000 6 A Record of Action - a Promise of More

7 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SPENDING WISELY, BALANCING THE BUDGET & PROTECTING SERVICES In the most difficult times on record for local government, we have kept Council Tax increases below two percent year-onyear and maintained core services. The budget has balanced and the latest independent audit is positive in all key indicators of sound financial management Under the Conservatives the council has invested 40 million in a new energy-fromwaste plant, saving taxpayers 45 million over the lifetime of the plant The fortnightly refuse collection is saving 500,000 and boosting recycling rates Since 2011 the Council has saved 49 million by cutting waste, rationalising buildings, and being innovative, guided by residents priorities Over the next two years Herefordshire Conservatives will continue to reduce costs by cutting bureaucracy and improving contract management We will ensure that the council works with other authorities to ensure it adopts the best practices and investigates opportunities for shared services We will ensure that the council continues to invest in energy saving schemes, particularly LED lights and solar energy where applicable We will continue to value your money, keeping Council Tax down, yet protecting key services. We will invest prudently, especially if early intervention will secure savings Annual Government funding per Herefordshire dwelling is 675, a quarter below the national average of 885 Herefordshire Council has borrowed to invest, to save and to deliver future prosperity. Its borrowing, compared with other unitary authorities, is about average and, in a period of low interest rates, prudent Our opponents protest but have failed to offer any alternatives to some of the most difficult decisions that the Conservative led council has had to make to ensure the delivery of residents priorities without over spending A Record of Action - a Promise of More 7

8 FITTING THE PIECES TOGETHER TO DELIVER A STRONG, VIBRANT AND PROSPEROUS HEREFORDSHIRE. More, better paid jobs New Roads New River Crossing INVESTMENT Sound financial Management Homes for young families Care for the vulnerable REGENERATION Faster Transport Links Support the farming & business community Encourage our young people to stay BETTER SCHOOLS Improve and promote Market Towns Good shops and leisure facilities Better broadband and mobile Preserve our Heritage 8 A Record of Action - a Promise of More Promoted by Martyn Punyer on behalf of Herefordshire Conservatives all of Grove Mill, Wormelow, Hereford, HR2 8EG.