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Lambeth Liberal DemocratsNews, views and contact information for the
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Lib Dems publish manifesto for a better Lambeth
March 29, 2006 11:01 AM
Lib Dems have an ambitious programme for Lambeth
Lambeth Liberal Democrats have launched their manifesto for further improving the Council and getting a better deal for residents.
Leader of the Council, Liberal Democrat Councillor Peter Truesdale, said,
"In May 2002 we inherited a failing council from Labour after 31 years of their misrule. Lambeth owed £875 million, and even though the Council Tax had just gone up by 9.3%, Labour managed to leave a £28 million hole in the budget. Since then we've made considerable progress turning Lambeth into a functioning organisation."
The Liberal Democrats have put the Council back into the black, paid off over £130 million of debts and because of these improvements they have set a 0% increase in Lambeth's Council Tax this year.
"It's a clear choice of going forward with the Lib Dems or going backwards under Labour to high taxes, low services and a council that doesn't listen," Councillor Truesdale added.
The Liberal Democrats have five main priorities for making Lambeth a better place:
- Keeping the Council Tax below Labour's rate, as on average people pay £150 more in Council Tax in all the Labour run boroughs south of the river.
- Make Lambeth's streets safer by introducing new community safety wardens to help the police patrol local streets and estates.
- Take the profit out of parking by bringing the privatised traffic wardens under Council control.
- Ensure Lambeth is a green and sustainable community by protecting Lambeth's green spaces and pushing up the recycling rate yet further from the 24% it is now.
- Provide more school places by completing the two new secondary schools planned and expanding popular local schools and continuing the improvements in GCSE results with a 6% increase (as against a national increase of 1.3%) in the number of pupils obtaining 5 GCSEs at grades A to C in 2005.
"Vote for the party that listens to local people not international financial wheeler-dealers!" Councillor Truesdale concluded.
See the "downloads" section to read the manifesto in full