Local Manifesto 2014

Stronger Economy Fairer Society

56 Broad LawnNew Eltham LondonSE9 3XD

020 8857 3060

GreenwichLibDem

GreenwichLibDems

Greenwich Borough Liberal Democratshttp://greenwich-libdems.org.uk

“Liberal Democrats are giving you a real choice at the Greenwich Borough local elections on 22nd May.

“We want to change things for the better in this borough, and we have strong policies to achieve that. Our party can give you a voice in your area, with councillors who represent you and work for you.

“We want to get real value for money; to put every man, woman, and child at the centre of decision-making; and to give support for all to fulfill their true potential. In short, Liberal Democrats will work hard in Greenwich to enable you to make a better life for yourself, a happier life.

“Vote for your local Liberal Democrat on 22nd May and end Labour’s easy ride in Greenwich.”

Greenwich Borough Liberal Democrats

No more forgotten areas

Support for every part of the borough, such as Charlton, Shooters Hill, and Eltham, and not just the few.

A more balanced approach to planning

More social and affordable homes. Human-scale development and an end to the culture of concrete tower blocks. Backing for the ban on the growth in betting shops.

More jobs for young people

More apprenticeships in Greenwich Borough, building on the 5,890 created since 2010 as part of the Liberal Democrat target to reach 250,000 apprenticeships London-wide by 2015.

Our vision for Greenwich Borough

Better support for local businesses and jobs

No pavement tax. Reduced parking charges where they are excessive. Industrial zoning protected.

Less air pollution, better health

No more large, polluting roads and tunnels built through Greenwich.

Green living

More hybrid buses in Greenwich. Green spaces protected. Easier, safer cycling in our area.

Joined-up transport thinking

Cable car included in the Oyster scheme. Better bus connections for North Greenwich tube. Woolwich Ferry more reliable.

No more waste at Town Hall

No more costly jollies for councillors. Some allowances over £10,000 cut. No more wasteful Mayoral parties. No more Royal Greenwich Time.

Closer scrutiny of large infrastructure projects

Foot tunnels to be sorted out – now.

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Revived democracy in Greenwich

Committee system of local government to encourage collective governance and ensure decisions are taken at the right level. Your council should work for you and not the people in charge.

Council meetings to be broadcast live and archived

Members of all parties allowed to chair committees and represent the Council on other bodies.

More sensible allocation of funds to favour primary schools and improve education

Building on the success of the Pupil Premium. More young teachers encouraged to choose Greenwich.

No more grubby streets and housing

Clamp-down on poor conditions of private rented dwellings. Roads and pavements repaired quickly and cleared of rubbish.

Better engagement with regional and national government

No more blocking proposals just because of party politics.

A Stronger Economy and a Fairer Society

Greenwich for the people, not for the big state, big companies, or big egos

Liberal Democrats will think big and long-term if elected. There are no easy answers to the pressures on our area, notably from the forecast 40% increase in population over the next few years. In line with our colleagues across London we back a doubling in the number of affordable homes by calling on a new housing investment fund and by bringing empty properties into use.

At the same time we will approach planning in our borough in a more balanced and people-focused, “human-scale” way. We want to protect our green spaces and not create a Manhattan-on-Thames, in Eltham, in Kidbrooke, or anywhere. We must support all areas of the borough and not just pump effort and investment into two or three town centres. As far as Woolwich is concerned, we do not believe that “big is best”.

Greenwich as a good place to work

We will do all we can to provide job opportunities in the borough. Industrial strategies, in particular, should keep North Charlton and other industrial areas as places where land is used mainly for employment rather than housing, thus supporting the local economy and providing jobs close to home. Greenwich has benefited from 5,890 apprenticeships since 2010 and we will continue to promote apprenticeships in Greenwich as part of the Liberal Democrats’ plans to reach 250,000 in London by 2015.

Greenwich as a healthy, green place to live

It is time for other areas to take some of the strain of the extra traffic that will cross the Thames as population grows; air pollution is already illegally

high in parts of Greenwich. We were the first partyto oppose the proposed Silvertown tunnel and the crossing at Thamesmead, and that remains our policy.

We will offer plans to increase cycling in our borough through engagement with TfL, the Cycling Commissioner, and City Hall in order to gain more investment. We are fighting for more hybrid buses in Greenwich – our area is behind the rest of London. We will try to protect our green spaces and utilise brownfield spaces for development.

Easier, cheaper, cleaner travel

We will lobby for the cable car to be brought fully into the Oyster system. We will fight for better, more direct bus routes across the borough, especially with regard to North Greenwich tube. We will aim to reduce excessive car parking charges across the borough. We will lobby for more secure bicycle parking areas.

An end to the waste at Town Hall

We support the basic £10,000 a year allowances for councillors, but the total bill of £900,000 is toohigh. We would attack the gravy train to save significant amounts, both by cutting excessive special allowances and by reducing the size of the cabinet. The invitation-only Mayoral party at the Painted Hall in Greenwich, at a cost of up to £30,000, should revert to a public event in Woolwich Town Hall with the cost of refreshments capped at £1,000.

Stronger Econom

y Fairer Society

We would do away with Royal Greenwich Time, which wastes money, unfairly competes with localprint media, and breaks the code prohibiting the use of council newspapers for party political propaganda.

It should be replaced with a regular information-oriented Council leaflet that does not encroach on local newspapers or promote the policies or personalities of any one political party.

More scrutiny of large projects

We will demand immediate action to sort out the long-running problems at the foot tunnels. In addition future large-scale developments must be scrutinised to make sure that deals done are for the benefit of the people of Greenwich.

Stronger Econom

y Fairer Society

Democracy and fairness brought back to Greenwich

We propose to change Greenwich to a committee-style system of local government, thereby reducing the power of the leader. Members of all parties should be allowed to chair committees and to represent the borough on outside bodies. We will advocate that Council meetings be broadcast on the Internet and archived on the Council website. We would also work to introduce local area forums with devolved responsibilities.

Building on the success of our schools

It is no coincidence that the increased choice given to parents in Greenwich schools has gone alongside an improvement in our schools’ performance, but more needs to be done. Key-worker accommodation should be easier to obtain, to encourage young teachers to apply for posts in the borough.

Greenwich has seen a large and needed expansion of places for secondary school children in the borough, including sixth-form places. However, money now needs to be spent on improving the provision for primary school children where numbers are rising.

Liberal Democrats in government recognise this and have introduced the Pupil Premium, which has contributed £9.5m extra to educate Greenwich children this year and £19.5m since it was introduced.

As Liberal Democrats, we back the people againstboth the overbearing state and the dominating large

corporation. We have too much of both in Greenwich.

Think long term, think green, and think “joined-up”.

You do have a choice

Vote for change

Vote Liberal Democrat

Published and promoted on behalf of the Liberal Democrats by Simon Drage at Unit 1, Streatham Business Centre, 1 Empire Mews, London SW16 2ED and by Paul Gentry on behalf of Greenwich Borough Liberal Democrats at 56 Broad Lawn, New Eltham, London SE9 3XD.