Labour reveal manifesto for Swindon (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Labour reveal manifesto for Swindon
12:00pm Monday 8th March 2010 in
THE Swindon Labour group has published its 2010 manifesto outlining how it could map out a brighter future for the town.
The first draft of the 12-page document covers all aspects of council services, from education and the economy to care services and communities and also publishes the group’s ‘5 Ways, 5 Days’ programme where they pinpoint how they would transform the town in just one working week.
Speaking about the manifesto, leader of the Labour party in Swindon Derique Montaut said: “Swindon needs a council that will stand up for our town and drive us forward, that will deliver jobs and industry for the future, ensure that our young people receive the highest quality of education and that will protect and care for our most vulnerable citizens.
“That is why I am proud to present Labour’s manifesto for the 2010 local elections.
“I firmly believe that the policies we have laid out have the potential to transform our town and our council and put us at the forefront of the new low-carbon economy.
“Labour promise to run a council that asks ‘what can we do?’ to help our town and our people.
“We want to invest in our future to create jobs and help our children achieve their potential. We believe in communities and want to give you a real say in the decisions made in your name.
“We will commit to building new council houses and ensure that the most vulnerable are given care tailored to their individual needs.”
The group’s ‘5 Ways, 5 Days’ sets out how, in just one week, a new Labour council would transform the town.
They would revise the council’s budget and re-prioritise spending; create a Green Industrial Development Board; take control of expenses and hand them to an independent panel; scrap unfinished projects such as the town centre canal and instead focus on redevelopment schemes; and finally ensure that all new developments include registered open spaces to protects the town’s green spaces.
Among other promises made in the manifesto, the group has pledged to bring a university to Swindon, cut the council’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent, never raise council tax above the rate of inflation unless funding is cut, and build new council houses.
l The Labour group’s new website is swindon-labour.co.uk
Comments(25)
Gooey
says...
12:54pm Mon 8 Mar 10
The Real Librarian
says...
1:21pm Mon 8 Mar 10
If not, why not?
Olly86
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1:25pm Mon 8 Mar 10
Old Town
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1:40pm Mon 8 Mar 10
gonefishin
says...
1:42pm Mon 8 Mar 10
"
Well I tried going to http://swindon-labou
r.co.uk so I could read their manifesto. I was wondering who was going to pay for the 'new council houses' and wanted to know whether the item "cut the council’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent" meant they were going to halve the council's fuel consumption (perhaps by laying off half the council refuse trucks, or doing monthly rubbish collections instead of fortnightly) or whether they were going to slaughter one of their sacred cows to reduce methane output.
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But they wouldn't let me in. You need a login and password, apparently.
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Security word: 'Stop-view'... how apropos!
molly60
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1:43pm Mon 8 Mar 10
Well Labour did not listen to people before thats why they are not in power so I dont suppose it will be different if they will get elected.So thank but no thanks.
rmc001
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2:11pm Mon 8 Mar 10
Does the unfinished projects include the Wi-fi as well as the canal?
Mr Blackwell
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4:30pm Mon 8 Mar 10
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The people of Swindon will never forget that.
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And, given that we're about to see Swindon return two MPs at the next general election who aren't Labour MPs, we'd be pretty stupid to then go and elect a Labour Council...
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Montaut is a laughing stock and is only a councillor because he was parachuted in to what was always going to be a safe win ward for him.
politicrat
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4:48pm Mon 8 Mar 10
why is it that Labour is ignoring again the pleas of voters to have more say in the way their local community is being managed?
As usual labour is keeping the satus quo our on local democracy.
I wish Labour offered local referendums on important local issues: transportation, education, police, local care.
and I certainly would have wanted to see Labour sanctioning local popular initiatives bypassing councillors and accessing directly either the council assembly or making it to referendum depending on the amount of signatures gathered.
Again, this manifesto is a non-event, the system is broken but nobody is thinking of fixing it.....
Mr Blackwell
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4:59pm Mon 8 Mar 10
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I won't hold my breath.
G.P.Simpson
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6:48pm Mon 8 Mar 10
EDUCATION (not my words but the Great Tony Blair PM.) Swindon's Educational Grant was underfunded by over £600/£800 per/pupil for years. The two Labour MP's did nothing to rectify this or get our funding back. Clousure of Post Offices was a really good photo shoot for Derique Montaut and one of our MP's with the people concerned. Then the same MP. went to the Commons and voted with the Party to close the Post Offices. GOOD GAME, GOOD GAME. I was always under the impression that an MP for Swindon was fighting for Swindon irrespective of party lines. I am sure some people will remember Lord Stoddard Labour who fought for Swindon and Swindon alone. Vote for Labour to run Swindon(where have all the commedians gone?) The Labour councillors should be working for the good of Swindon and not trying to do everything in their power to obstruct and defame the Tory's trying to give us a decent life.
peatmoor pirate
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7:05pm Mon 8 Mar 10
Donkey of Langton
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7:14pm Mon 8 Mar 10
I Too
says...
8:09pm Mon 8 Mar 10
Have the Monster raving looney party got any intention of starting up again?
doug on the farm
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8:59pm Mon 8 Mar 10
politicrat
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8:42am Tue 9 Mar 10
G.P.Simpson wrote:it all comes down to one essential part of a healthy democracy, right to vote.
I had written a terrific answer to Derique Montaut's "five working days to sort out the Tory mess" in which I said that God took seven working days to create the universe and us. I hope this is not false, abusive or malicious. I am sure I am not wrong in saying that the Labour Council under the leadership of Kevin Small raised our Council Tax by some hefty ammounts 10% and 15% and the big rise was to build a new Libiary. (Really!!!!). I am also sure that in spite of EDUCATION,EDUCATION, EDUCATION (not my words but the Great Tony Blair PM.) Swindon's Educational Grant was underfunded by over £600/£800 per/pupil for years. The two Labour MP's did nothing to rectify this or get our funding back. Clousure of Post Offices was a really good photo shoot for Derique Montaut and one of our MP's with the people concerned. Then the same MP. went to the Commons and voted with the Party to close the Post Offices. GOOD GAME, GOOD GAME. I was always under the impression that an MP for Swindon was fighting for Swindon irrespective of party lines. I am sure some people will remember Lord Stoddard Labour who fought for Swindon and Swindon alone. Vote for Labour to run Swindon(where have all the commedians gone?) The Labour councillors should be working for the good of Swindon and not trying to do everything in their power to obstruct and defame the Tory's trying to give us a decent life.
Nowhere else in the western World have we such an unfair, unrepresentative voting system than in the UK.
The last time we had a referendum was 1975!!! more than 35 years ago, in the meantime we have adopted human rights, set up local Parliaments (Wales, Scotland, NI), engaged in illegal wars etc...
The very nature of the current politics in the UK is pure political infighting because the main parties can afford it
1- they rarely need our votes, Prime Minister can even change without us having a say in the matter!
2- once elected we have no more say, we are held to ransom until the next elections
3- elections results are illegetimate since an MP can win with only 15% of the votes leaving 75% of the voters against him thanks to the first passed the post system
It would take a heck of lot work, no short of a revolution I may say, to change how we are being represented and how politicians once elected are answerable to their voters.
itsamess
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8:59am Tue 9 Mar 10
itsamess
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9:20am Tue 9 Mar 10
A good friend told me of David Stoddarts assistance many years ago when he was working abroad and let his house out to a single occupant. The person sold off all the furnishings to individuals and shops. That included the fitted kitchen--bathroom--f
itted bedroom--central heating system complete with boiler and radiators and all the wall sockets and light switches. The Police recovered some of the property in various houses and 3 culprits were arrested. No prosecution took place and David Stoddart was asked to question why. His reply The Police claim the culprits simply removed the goods for safe keeping. No prosecution took place. Amazing!!!
politicrat
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9:20am Tue 9 Mar 10
itsamess wrote:I 100%, we need to break away from the past, we need change but I very much doubt many people will realise the current need for change in our politics
Considering Labour could not explain what happened to the multi million windfall from the sale of the Brunel Centre despite promises to provide a new 7 mil library and a host of other things--then promptly increased Council Tax they cannot make these wild claims. The Tories have cut services wholesale and wildly spent money on pie in the sky schemes and turned our town into the massive demolition site it now is. Its time to give the smaller groups like the Lib Dems and truly independent prospective councillors a chance to introduce a wide ranging views on how Swindon can become a town to be proud of. Let us have a council that truly cares about the people. Look closely at the current councillors and how they have made efforts to improve our town and you will find no more than a handful--vote for the person--not the party.
Most women & scots, will vote labour, so will the masses of civil servants and benefits scroungers.
We would have a chance for change if our voting system was changed but as it is, we are condemned to another Labour or Tory led Governement.
What a sad state we are in, voting for a party that we distrust with a program we dislike just to get rid of the current government, what does this say about the health of our democracy and the future of our country. sad indeed....but I wish you were right and people will vote en masse against Labour and Conservative, time will tell.
real -life
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10:18am Tue 9 Mar 10
The problem it is is never the vulnerable who are helped its the lazy, the feckless and those who have self inflicted problems who will be given priority over the ones who really deserve our help.
Manifestos are a joke anyway as they get changed as soon as they get in power.
The reality is that they are all as bad as each other and which ever party gets in locally or nationally, they will still mess it up as "politics" always come ahead of reality or common sense.
One look at the picture with this article and you can see the arrogance and incompetance everywhere. Does anyone actually believe it will be better after May??? Maybe if politicians had to be qualified as well as elected that might help, just because you get voted in doesnt mean you can actually do the job and most can't which is the main cause of the mess everywhere in the world sadly.
politicrat
says...
10:51am Tue 9 Mar 10
real -life wrote:I am with you on that one, I may add: if they can be voted in, they certainly should be voted out if deemed incompetent?
"""“We will commit to building new council houses and ensure that the most vulnerable are given care tailored to their individual needs.”"" The problem it is is never the vulnerable who are helped its the lazy, the feckless and those who have self inflicted problems who will be given priority over the ones who really deserve our help. Manifestos are a joke anyway as they get changed as soon as they get in power. The reality is that they are all as bad as each other and which ever party gets in locally or nationally, they will still mess it up as "politics" always come ahead of reality or common sense. One look at the picture with this article and you can see the arrogance and incompetance everywhere. Does anyone actually believe it will be better after May??? Maybe if politicians had to be qualified as well as elected that might help, just because you get voted in doesnt mean you can actually do the job and most can't which is the main cause of the mess everywhere in the world sadly.
Nobody should be putting up with incapables until the next round of elections.
PK
says...
4:46pm Wed 10 Mar 10
Donkey of Langton wrote:Donkey. Neither Labour nor the Tories have done anything for Swindon and the least said about the Lib Dems, the better.
Good old Derique, still it rattled a few Tory cages ... always good for a laugh ... why not highlight what this Tory Council have not done for the town ... the list would require far more pages than twelve, that's for sure!
Perhaps it's time to kick them all out and give someone else a chance.
They certainly couldn't do any worse than the previous lot.
abbotboy
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10:26pm Thu 11 Mar 10
Bobfm
says...
10:28am Sun 14 Mar 10
I was surprised, it is a staggering £255 million, which of course doesn't include council employees. All this since NL came to power. Source Crisis of Truth, Stuart Wheeler
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reality_check says...
12:35pm Mon 8 Mar 10