Scott Collins, Liberal Democrat candidate for Silverstone Division

Northamptonshire Liberal Democrats have launched their full manifesto for the County Council elections, entitled “Getting Northamptonshire Working”.

Scott Collins, candidate for the new Silverstone Division, said:

“I am proud to, again, be able to represent the Liberal Democrats in these important elections.

There is so much that needs to change in Northamptonshire and especially the Silverstone division. The County Councils withdrawal of support for rural bus services has left far to many communities isolated and limited in their mobility choices. Add to that the woeful state of local roads and lack of commitment in repairing the road system and you have just the start of the failures the County has wrought of the last 8 years.

The Liberal democrats have, every year, offered common sense alternatives making all the required savings without  significant harm to front-line services.  But time and again the Conservative administration has decided party loyalty is more important than sensible, reasonable and costed alternatives  to the detriment to far too many in the County.”

The manifesto is built around 4 main themes, with a green environmental thread running through it. The themes are:

A Fairer Start – Better Jobs

· Getting young people into work

· Attract investment and green jobs

· Access to good, local schools

Safer Streets

· Restore streetlights

· Protect front-line policing

· Fix roads and pavements

Support when you need it

· Protect libraries and children’s centres

· Stop Conservative cuts to voluntary sector

· Root out the abuse of people in care

Cut Tory Waste

· Axe Tories’ £6m Quango with an office in Brussels

· Slash top Councillors’ pay and cut County Hall spin doctors

· Fight Conservative Police Commissioner cronyism

Cllr Brendan Glynane, Leader of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall said “Northamptonshire Conservatives have made the wrong choices over the last 8 years, cutting vital front-line services whilst wasting £millions of taxpayers cash. The Liberal Democrats are determined to get Northamptonshire working. We have 4 main priorities – a fairer start and better jobs, safer streets, support when you need it and cutting Tory waste. ”

“The Liberal Democrats are putting the environment at the heart of what the we will do. In particular our plan for a Solar Farm to generate jobs and green energy is a great example of how we can increase opportunities for young people, tackle climate change and create an income for the hard-pressed taxpayers of Northamptonshire. We will also work with others to increase renewable energy and cycling, and tackle flooding.”

“The Liberal Democrats want a fairer start for young people, better jobs and to sort out our schools. We will work with others to attract growth and businesses to Northamptonshire. We will help young people into work through a number of schemes, such as help for transport costs and work placements with the voluntary sector.”

“The Conservatives have plunged our streets into darkness and broken manifesto promises by cutting PCSOs. The Liberal Democrats will restore the streetlights and protect front-line policing. We will fix roads and pavements, and take action to reduce deaths on our roads, which have doubled in the last year since the Conservatives slashed funds for Casualty Reduction and switched off speed cameras.”

“The Liberal Democrats will not let down vulnerable people and communities. We are horrified by the recent OFSTED scandal on child protection. We are proposing a new deal for children – more tuition and access to extra-curricular activities, more support for adoption, more foster carers and putting the voice of children at the centre of our care system. When it comes to the elderly and disabled we will review the mean-spirited Tory hikes to charges, give more support to carers and the voluntary sector – hit by £19m Tory cuts – and ensure that the disabled community get proper access to opportunities. We will put the quality of care at the centre of our Social Care system.”

“Communities have been let down with cuts to community centres, libraries, the voluntary sector and transport. We will protect valued front-line community services. We will also pilot a new “Community Health Grants” scheme to encourage community responses to public health issues.”

“The Liberal Democrats know that money doesn’t grow on trees. But we also know that the Conservatives have wasted £6m on a Quango with an office in Brussels, voted themselves a 27% pay rise and spent £80,000 in 3 years on travel expenses for the Cabinet alone. Hundreds of thousands are spent on spin doctors, savings are not returned from LGSS and the Council has over £1bn of PFI contracts. Meanwhile hard working staff have seen pay and conditions changed. We will seek to introduce a “Living Wage” of £7.45 per hour for the lowest paid workers. The Liberal Democrats will slash wasteful vanity projects and top Councillors pay, while leaving no stone unturned in the search for savings from the back office.”

“Finally, the Liberal Democrats will only raise Council Tax as a last resort to protect vital front-line services. If we do have to raise taxes we will not raise them more than inflation.”

“The Liberal Democrats believe that we can get Northamptonshire working again, and we are determined to do just that.”