Guildford Labour Party 2011 Local Election Manifesto

8/7/2019 Guildford Labour Party 2011 Local Election Manifesto

1/25

1Guildford Labour;Guildford Labour;Guildford Labour;Guildford Labour; your voice in difficult times

Guildford

Labour party:your voicein difficulttimes

Guildford Borough Council Local Elections 2011


2/25


Contents

3. Foreword from Keith Chesterton

4. Guildford Borough Council; A catalogueof failure

6. Sorting housing out

9. Our universities policy

11. Getting Guildford moving

13. Radicalism in action; A co-operativecouncil

15. Transparency and accountability

17. Economy, growth and jobs

19. A cleaner, greener Guildford

21. Summary


3/25


Foreword

The 2011 Local Elections across England are the most important

for a generation. With the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats inpower marking some of the deepest cuts in living memory, thiselection offers residents across England the chance to voice theiranger at David Cameron and Nick Cleggs policies.

This election is about more than that though. In Guildford, we arecurrently represented by the two coalition parties on the localcouncil. Guildford Borough Council, under Conservative leadership,has quite clearly failed to deliver on the many promises they made

at the last election.

Most clearly they have failed to make any significant progress onaffordable housing. Almost 4,000 individuals still reside on thehousing registers in Guildford. 232 have been delivered in the lastthree years and only 64 will be delivered next year. That isunacceptable and Labour councillors in Guildford will makeaffordable housing a top priority.

In this manifesto, we outline our principles and policies in a numberof areas, including housing, transport, waste and recycling. Notevery issue comes into the purview of Guildford Borough Council,but we believe that local borough councillors have a role to play incampaigning on the issues that residents care about.

This document shows that the Guildford Labour party has theanswers to the big questions facing Guildford Borough Council.Based on co-operative values of democracy, transparency and

community, this manifesto has the ideas to deliver a cleaner,greener, safer Guildford.

Together, we can make it happen

Keith ChestertonChair


4/25


Guildford Borough Council; a Catalogue ofFailure

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats on Guildford BoroughCouncil are failing to deliver for residents in Guildford. They haveover-promised and under-delivered for the last eight years.

Tories in Power; Making a Mess

The Conservative administration just doesnt get it. They lack anyimagination and creativity in trying to address the problems faced

by residents across the borough. Their last eight years inadministration reads like a catalogue of failures;

Theyve FAILED to significantly increase the level of affordablehousing in Guildford

Theyve FAILED to lobby Surrey County Council to get our roadsfixed

Theyve FAILED to articulate a coherent vision for Guildfordsfuture

On housing the Tories really should hold their heads in shame.Guildford Borough Council has only increased its affordable housingstock by 232 since 2008, which isnt enough to meet demand inthe area.

If the situation is allowed to worsen our children and grandchildren

wont be able to get a foot on the housing ladder; driving out thosewho were born and bred in Guildford.

A key plank of the Labour programme will be designed to clear upthe mess that the Tories are making of Guildford Borough Council.

Lib Dems; Letting us all down

Our local Liberal Democrats are no better than the Tories. Theymake half-hearted noises to oppose the Tories, but they avoid one


5/25


inconvenient fact; they are the ones making the cuts to localgovernment.

Rather than taking responsibility for the fact that Nick Clegg

agrees with these cuts, they sit in council meetings pretending tobe enraged by the Tory cuts only to rubber stamp them;

The Lib Dems AGREE with the xxx% cut in Guildford BoroughCouncils budget

The Lib Dems AGREE with front-loading local government cuts tomake them harder on residents in Guildford

The Lib Dems AGREE with Nick Clegg and have refused to voiceany opposition to any of the policies he has foisted on local people.

The local Lib Dems are supposed to be the opposition. They aresupposed to scrutinise everything the Tories are doing but they areforced to keep quiet and accept the level and pace of cuts toservices because it is their Lib Dems bosses that are forcing themon us.

The Guildford Labour party is the only alternative voice to theTories on Guildford Borough Council. The Lib Dems have neither thevision nor the space to make the case for an alternative strategy.


6/25


Sorting Housing Out

The ability to live in an affordable and decent home is a basic rightin a civilised society. The most pressing issue that is facingGuildford Borough Council at the moment is the lack of affordablehousing in the area. It is blight on our wonderful society and anindictment of years of failed policy.

There are almost 4,000 people on the housing waiting list in Guildford, in need ofgood, decent and affordable housing and the Tories are failing toaddress it. Regional housing targets are being scrapped, and theLocalism Bill leaves Tory councils free to carry on with their failedhouse building policies.

The Tories and Lib Dems are proposing that Housing Associationsshould charge 80% of the gross market rate for housing whichcoupled with the changes in security of tenure and cuts in housingbenefit spell disaster for some of the most vulnerable in oursociety.

The Guildford Labour Party is, however, committed to changing thefailing policies of old:

1. AFFORDABLE HOUSING:Guildford Labour councillors will aim for a fixed target of 50%affordable housing in all new developments for anemergency period of four years. It will be reviewed in 2015,when we will assess whether or not there is still a need for

the emergency measures.

2. AFFORDABLE RENTS:Guildford Labour councillors will fight increases in rental ratesin Guildford. Housing Associations should not be allowed tocharge 80% of the gross market rate for housing. Theresources for new affordable housing should not be drawnfrom the poorest in society.

3. SECURITY OF TENURE:


7/25


The Tories propose ending council tenancies for life and willintroduce short-term leases of 5 to 10 years or less. TheGuildford Labour group will oppose changes to the current

system of security of tenure. The current system givestenants, who are often drawn from the most vulnerableelements of society the knowledge that they are secure intheir own homes.

4. UNDER OCCUPATIONThe Guildford Labour party encourages down-sizing providingit is a voluntary option for tenants and includes positive

incentives. Tenants need spare space. With a shortage ofaffordable homes, younger family members may need toreturn to live at home from time to time.

5. HOUSING BENEFIT:The Guildford Labour party supports reform to HousingBenefit, although we do not support the imposition of adraconian cap which takes no account of the high living costs

in Guildford.

We support moves to identify those who abuse the systembut not punishing those who genuinely need help. TheGuildford Labour group will support measures to crack downon genuine benefit fraud.

The Guildford Labour party oppose cuts at a time when Toryand Liberal Democrat policies are causing rising

unemployment, increasing inflation and a squeeze on livingstandards up and down our borough.

The Tories and Liberal Democrats on Guildford Borough Councilseem completely unconcerned about the housing situation inGuildford. When the imposition of a draconian housing benefit capwas announced, neither party had the bravery to speak up onbehalf of vulnerable residents who will suffer in Guildford.


8/25


The Guildford Labour party is the only party in Guildford that cancall for a sensible alternative to the coalitions current policyprescription. Building decent and affordable houses will be the toppriority of a Labour led Guildford Borough Council.


9/25


Maintaining Excellence; Our Universities

The University of Surrey is one of the finest institutions in theworld. It is renowned for its world class research facilities andbeautiful campus. A Labour run Guildford Borough Council will do allit can to help maintain the reputation of the University across thecountry and around the world.

We recognise that Guildford Borough Council doesnt have theability to affect change on Tuition Fees, but as representatives in aUniversity town we have a responsibility to represent thethousands of students in Guildford who contribute to our diverseand vibrant society.

Councillors also have a role to play in exerting influence on thegovernment of the day. Our local Tories and Lib Dems are unable toexert any influence because they are constrained by the actions oftheir bosses in Westminster, so it is left to Labour to make the casefor a sustainable future for Higher Education.

Labour Councillors in Guildford will be guided by the following

principles:

UNIVERSITY FEES

(i) We recognise the value that University students bring tothe local area and the wider benefit of an educatedsociety

(ii) The Tories and Lib Dems are raising the cap on tuitionfees to 9,000, which coupled with living costs inGuildford, could leave our students with over 50,000worth of debt.

(iii) The Guildford Labour party does believe that graduatesshould make a contribution to the cost of their educationas they accrue direct benefits from it

(iv) We believe that the cap on tuition fees should remain atits current level until a more progressive alternative isfound.


10/25


(v) The government should look again at the balance offunding from students and central government to the costof Higher Education, with a view of emulating funding

systems in comparable European Countries.

(vi) Most importantly, Universities should be places ofacademic excellence, not businesses primarily concernedwith increasing funding streams from private sectorsources.

A Guildford Labour led Council administration would reverse theTories neglect of the University of Surrey Students Union (USSU)

and seek to engage with the Union in order to facilitate improvedrelationships between students and local residents in Guildford. Itis in the interests of the council, local residents and students tomaintain excellent relationships.

The Guildford Labour party and Labour Councillors will look toinstitute a local form of the Educational Maintenance Allowance(EMA).


11/25


Getting Guildford Moving

The price of petrol has been consistently increasing for years. Withgrowing instability in oil rich countries, it is becoming more difficultfor residents in Guildford to make as many car journeys as theyused.

It is therefore more important than ever to provide excellent,affordable and efficient bus services for people across Guildford,whether they live in urban or rural areas. There is also a role forintroducing better cycling facilities and looking at a cycle hirescheme similar to the one used in London and proposals that have

been approved in Portsmouth.

We need to stop clobbering the motorist as the Guildford Torieshave insisted on doing so in the last eight years. It is bad for localbusiness and disproportionately hits the pockets of those who canleast afford to pay.

What do we get in return? Cracked roads and pavements, botchedresurfacing and a lack of proper investment. In the long run it costs

motorists in Guildford thousands of pounds to repair damaged cars.It isnt good enough.

Therefore Labour Councillors will be working for:

(i) The abolition of evening parking charges to helpbusinesses struggling in a time of recession.

(ii) A radically improved bus station at the Friary Bus Stationthat we can all be proud rather than embarrassed of.

(iii) A cycle hire scheme and the introduction of more safecycling lanes that are accessible to every resident inGuildford, including cycling lanes running parallel torailway lines.

(iv) Local referendums on 20mph limits in residential areaswith nearby schools for local residents.


12/25


(v) Lobbying Surrey County Council for a renewed programmeof investment in our roads and pavements

Guildford Borough Council needs a radical new transport policy that

is innovative, imaginative and inclusive. The Borough Councildoesnt have to work alone on this. A Labour led Guildford BoroughCouncil will work with Surrey County Council and private andvoluntary sector stakeholders, passengers and current providers toproduce a holistic transport policy that will radically change theway in which we think about our transport services.

The Tories have had eight years to deliver and they have failed.Guildfords roads are getting worst and our public transport needs

new life. The Lib Dems have had four years as the only oppositionvoices on Guildford Borough Council to offer a radical and crediblealternative to the Tories. It is clear that only the Guildford Labourparty can offer something new in our local area.


13/25


Radicalism in Action; Co-operative Solutionsto Common Problems

Co-operatives and mutual organisations have a role to play inalmost every aspect of local government. Public services especiallylend themselves to mutual organisation; housing, leisure, socialservices, care for children and the elderly, transport, communityregeneration and economic development.

The Tories and Lib Dems in government have told us that the BigSociety delivers on co-operative values, but we all know what thatis really about; cutting services and trying to get you to do all the

work for free. We shouldnt be fooled by it.

Co-ops embody the following values; self-help, self-responsibility,democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. Labour Councillors willwork for and ensure the following:

(i) Every service that the Council puts out to tender will haveto include a co-operative or mutual options, driven by localresidents

(ii) Officers involved in the remodelling of any service willhave to consider a co-operative or mutual solution

(iii) Promote Housing Co-operatives to allow tenants greatercontrol and involvement in their housing provision

(iv) The appointment of a Co-operative Development Officerat Guildford Borough Council

(v) Continued support for the Surrey Save Credit Union(vi) Work with Surrey County Council, to promote the Young

Cooperative initiative in Guildfords schools.

(vii) Work with the Co-operative group to develop a charterthat external organisations delivering council services willbe expected to abide by.


14/25


(viii) Institute a Community Dividend programme which wouldgive council staff the opportunity to take time leave off ofwork to assist local community groups.

(ix) Create a Community Dividend Scheme which would allowbusinesses to contribute to grants programmes to helpsupport community work.

A Guildford Labour led Guildford Borough Council would also createa Citizens Commission consisting of local businesses, communityorganisations, residents and stakeholders to develop ideas abouthow we can encourage cooperatives and mutuals in Guildford. Theremit would also be extended to explore ways in which we can

enhance democratic accountability and transparency on the councilto foster greater community involvement in every aspect of life.

The Guildford Tories have had eight years to articulate acooperative vision for Guildford and they have completely andutterly failed. Their Big Society is a smokescreen for the largest,frontloaded cuts in local government that we have ever seen. Andthe Liberal Democrat opposition has offered little more. They offerno vision or creativity for a cooperative vision in Guildford. So it is

left to Labour to provide the only alternative in Guildford to thetired Tories.


15/25


Transparency and Accountability

Local democracy is stagnating under the current two partymonopoly in Guildford. The Tories arent interested in scrutiny andtheir coalition partners, the Lib Dems are incapable of actuallydelivering it.

So the local council structure needs to be radically opened up toallow greater scrutiny of the administration by the general public.The Guildford Labour party has four specific proposals to increasescrutiny, transparency and accountability on Guildford BoroughCouncil:

(i) Leaders Question Time:Leaders Question Time:Leaders Question Time:Leaders Question Time: The Guildford Labour party iscommitted to introducing a leaders question time wheremembers of the public and councillors would have theopportunity to raise any concerns or issues they have.

(ii) Plain English Guides:Plain English Guides:Plain English Guides:Plain English Guides: The Guildford Labour party wouldpublish Plain English guides to accompany documentssuch as the budget to make it simpler councillors and

members of the public to scrutinise.

(iii) Committee Names:Committee Names:Committee Names:Committee Names: The Guildford Labour party wouldrename the current committee better reflect their actualactivity.

(iv) Council Website:Council Website:Council Website:Council Website: The Guildford Labour party is committedto redeveloping the council website to make it easier forcouncillors and members of the public to navigate.

Underpinning all of these measures would be the establishment ofa Citizens Commission, similar to the commission developed inLambeth. It would look at ways in which the Council can open itselfup to more transparency and scrutiny. The Guildford Labour partywould invite local residents, business leaders and representativesof Residents Associations from across Guildford to take part in thiscommission.

The Tories have for the last eight years hoarded power andshunned public scrutiny. They dont want their policies to be


16/25


scrutinised by the public because they realise that the more weknow, the more we dislike their policies. The Lib Dems have failedto adequately scrutinise the Tories for the last four years and nowthat they are in coalition with them rendering their position

untenable.

So it is left to the Guildford Labour party to make the case forgreater transparency and scrutiny on Guildford Borough Council.This isnt just about publishing the amount of money that it hasbeen spending, although this is very welcome. It is about giving thepublic a greater say in the way their council is run and with aLabour led Borough Council, we can deliver that.


17/25


Economy, Growth and Jobs

The Tories and Liberal Democrats are currently embarking on apolicy of slashing and burning our public services. Localgovernment has received the worst settlement of any part of thepublic sector. The Tories and Liberal Democrats have decided tofrontload these cuts, meaning that big cuts are having to be madeearlier than they have to be.

The Guildford Labour party will continue to support the case for analternative economic strategy that doesnt stall growth andhamper job creation in the private sector. Cuts will have to happenin government spending and the structural deficit does need to bereduced, however the government are going too far and too fast,endangering growth in Guildfords economy.

The effects can be felt across the United Kingdom and no morekeenly than in Guildford, where shops are being vacated byindependent businesses who can no longer afford to stay openwhen demand is so low, VAT increasing and lending to businessesstalled. The questions that we have to ask are these:

(i) Why is Guildford Town Centre suffering more than WokingTown Centre and other comparable neighbours?

(ii) How can we re-establish Guildford as a top regionalshopping venue once again?

(iii) What can the Borough Council do to get consumers backthrough the doors of our local businesses?

The Guildford Labour party does not hold all the answers to thesequestions; no political party does. However we can identify somekey areas that we need to work on in order to boost Guildfordseconomy:

(i) The cost of parking.The cost of parking.The cost of parking.The cost of parking. The Guildford Labour party wouldfreeze car parking charges for three years as we look tosecure recovery in our economy.


18/25


(ii) A vibrant town centre.A vibrant town centre.A vibrant town centre.A vibrant town centre. The Guildford Labour party wouldreinvigorate the Friary redevelopment process whichneeds to be completed in order for us to compete with ourneighbours.

(iii) Clean and safe high streets.Clean and safe high streets.Clean and safe high streets.Clean and safe high streets. The Guildford Labour partywould work with Surrey County Council to ensure that ourtown centre pavements are safe for shoppers and getmore litter bins in place. The Guildford Labour party wouldalso close the upper high street to traffic at theweekends.

(iv) Diverse local businesses.Diverse local businesses.Diverse local businesses.Diverse local businesses. The Guildford Labour partywould work with the Chamber of Commerce and theFederation of Small Businesses to develop a strategy forencouraging small and medium sized enterprises to remainin Guildford.

The Tories and Lib Dems locally have failed to develop a coherentgrowth strategy for Guildford. The Tories are only concerned withchopping services and sacking staff and the Lib Dems lack theimagination to reinvigorate the private sector in Guildford.

The Guildford Labour party recognises and celebrates theimportance of our private sector. As jobs are lost in the publicsector the Borough Council needs to be proactive in encouragingbusinesses in the local area to create more jobs. A Labour ledGuildford Borough Council would make this a priority.

The Guildford Labour party also recognises the value of the publicsector and the work that is done by public servants in Guildford. We

are committed to efficiency in the public sector. We also recognisethe interdependent nature between the public and private sector; job losses and cut backs in contracts often lead to significant joblosses in the private sector. Working with key actors in the publicsector we will work to protect services.


19/25


A Cleaner and Greener Guildford

Climate change is one the greatest threat facing the planet.Guildford is doing its part to help in the fight against climatechange, with good and improving recycling rates and the Councildeserves a lot of credit for the work it is doing.

But it can do so much more.

We need to maintain levels of cleanliness in our local areas.Guildford is a beautiful place with lovely green space and we willensure that this remains the case in the future. At the same timewe also need to recognise that the streets in our urban areas inGuildford need to be kept clean. They are as important as oneanother.

If elected in May, Labour Councillors will introduce Labour-hoodWatches, regular patrols of every street in their ward to findproblems like litter and graffiti, in order to get them sorted out assoon as possible.

Labour Councillors will also be working for:

(i) Tougher sanctions on fly-tipping and quicker responsetimes when problems are reported

(ii) An increased recycling rates by enhancing doorstepcollections to the majority of household waste.

(iii) An increased level of plastics collection,(iv) The maintenance of Guildfords council-parks and gardens

managed as organic gardens

(v) The creation of a climate change strategy for Guildfordwith ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gasemissions.

(vi) A business environment which allows for the developmentof a vibrant and diverse green industry in Guildford.


20/25


Both the Tories and Lib Dems deserve credit for their work onrecycling. The Guildford Labour party will work on a cross-partybasis with both the Tories and the Lib Dems to build on the workbeing done in this area.

Climate change is an issue that transcends ideology and partypolitics. And only by working together can we achieve our aims.


21/25


Summary; a 40 point plan for GuildfordBorough Council.

1. We would aim for a fixed target of 50% affordable housing in allnew developments for an emergency period of four years.

2. We will fight increases in rental rates in Guildford. HousingAssociations should not be allowed to charge 80% of the grossmarket rate for housing.

3. We will oppose changes to the current system of security oftenure..

4. We would encourage down-sizing providing it is a voluntaryoption for tenants and includes positive incentives.

5. We support reform to Housing Benefit, although we do notsupport the imposition of a draconian cap which takes noaccount of the high living costs in Guildford.

6.We will support measures to crack down on genuine benefitfraud.

7. We will oppose cuts at a time when Tory and Liberal Democratpolicies are causing rising unemployment, increasing inflationand a squeeze on living standards up and down our borough.

8. We believe that graduates should make a contribution to thecost of their education as they accrue direct benefits from it, but

we will campaign against the current governments ill thoughtout proposals.

9. We will work to institute a local form of the EducationalMaintenance Allowance (EMA).

10. We support the abolition of evening parking charges to helpbusinesses struggling in a time of recession.

11. We want a radically improved bus station at the Friary BusStation that we can all be proud rather than embarrassed of.


22/25


12. We will work for a cycle hire scheme and the introduction ofmore safe cycling lanes that are accessible to every resident inGuildford, including cycling lanes running parallel to railway

lines.

13. We will lobby for local referendums on 20mph limits inresidential areas with nearby schools for local residents.

14. We will lobby Surrey County Council for a renewed programmeof investment in our roads and pavements

15. We will ensure that every service that the Council puts out totender will have to include a co-operative or mutual option,driven by local residents

16. We will ensure that officers involved in the remodelling of anyservice will have to consider a co-operative or mutual solution

17. We will promote Housing Co-operatives to allow tenants greatercontrol and involvement in their housing provision

18. We will appoint a Co-operative Development Officer at GuildfordBorough Council

19. We will provide continued support for the Surrey Save CreditUnion

20. We will work with Surrey County Council, to promote the YoungCooperative initiative in Guildfords schools.

21. We will work with the Co-operative group to develop a co-operative charter that external organisations delivering councilservices will be expected to abide by.

22. We will institute a Community Dividend programme which wouldgive council staff the opportunity to take time leave off of workto assist local community groups.


23/25


23. We will create a Community Dividend Scheme which would allowbusinesses to contribute to grants programmes to help supportcommunity work.

24. We are committed to introducing a leaders question time wheremembers of the public and councillors would have theopportunity to raise any concerns or issues they have.

25. We will publish Plain English guides to accompany documentssuch as the budget to make it easier for councillors andmembers of the public to scrutinise.

26. We will rename the current committee better reflect their actualactivity.

27. We are committed to redeveloping the council website to makeit easier for councillors and members of the public to navigate.

28. We would establish a Citizens Commission, similar to that set upin Lambeth, to bring residents closer to the democraticstructures of the council.

29. We would freeze car parking charges for three years as we lookto secure recovery in our economy.

30. We would reinvigorate the Friary redevelopment process,working with local stakeholders, which needs to be completed inorder for us to compete with our neighbours.

31. We would work with Surrey County Council to ensure that ourtown centre pavements are safe for shoppers and get more

litter bins in place.

32. We would also close the upper high street to traffic at theweekends.

33. We would work with the Chamber of Commerce and theFederation of Small Businesses to develop a strategy forencouraging small and medium sized enterprises to remain inGuildford.


24/25


34. We will campaign to keep our Bobbies on the beat in all areas ofthe borough.

35. We support tougher sanctions on fly-tipping and quickerresponse times when problems are reported

36. We want increased recycling rates in Guildford, by enhancingdoorstep collections to the majority of household waste.

37. We will look to increase the level of plastics collection,38. We will continue supporting the maintenance of Guildfords

council-parks and gardens managed as organic gardens

39. We will work for creation of a climate change strategy forGuildford with ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gasemissions.

40. We want a business environment which allows for thedevelopment of a vibrant and diverse green industry inGuildford.


25/25

Make a difference: join Labour today. Go to labour.org.uk/join or call 01483 511272Promoted by Oliver Deed on behalf of the Guildford Labour party both at 9 Martyr Road Guildford GU1 4LF

Documents

Guildford Labour Party 2011 Local Election Manifesto