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Greenwich Borough Liberal Democrats Manifesto 2010
For too long, Labour has taken Greenwich for granted. We think that it's time for change. At the local council elections on Thursday 6th May, Greenwich Borough Liberal Democrats are setting out an ambitious plan to change our borough for the better. We will:
Provide a true local voice
- Greenwich Borough has been run for far too long by people who don't listen and behave as if they don't think it is their job to listen. We will listen to local people and carry out genuine consultations on services and proposals affecting local communities. We will develop and strengthen local decision making.
Improve schools in Greenwich
- Working with teachers, governors and parents, we will give schools the support and encouragement they need to do better. In Greenwich Council's most recent Comprehensive Performance Assessment (2008), its services for Children and Young People were rated by Ofsted and the Care Commission for Social Care Inspection as 'simply adequate in meeting minimum requirements'. We can and will do better.
Make the local community safer
- We will work closely with Borough residents and the Metropolitan Police to target local crime hot spots. We will reduce the causes and the fear of crime and antisocial behaviour. We know that it is possible to build an effective partnership. While crime statistics for our Borough show that crime rates have been falling they remain higher in our Borough than for the Metropolitan Police area as a whole.
Put more green into Greenwich
- We will maximize the benefits that can be obtained from intelligent recycling and composting. We aim to raise the proportion of household waste and compost recycling so that it exceeds 45% by 2014. London lags badly behind other parts of England with recycling rates already well above 40% in regions such as the East Midlands. Greenwich needs to do more to close the gap.
Improve access to decent housing
- Liberal Democrats recognise that local councils no longer have the resources to build new homes but they are committed to doing all within their power to work with those who are willing and able to invest in new and affordable homes. We are committed to improving the management of the housing Greenwich Council owns and rents. We know that improving housing would improve the lives of thousands of families living in our Borough.
Promote health and wellbeing in the Borough
- We need a stronger partnership between Greenwich Council, NHS Greenwich and Greenwich Community Health Services. The Council needs to be a determined, critical and constructive partner in order to serve Greenwich Borough residents and help to address the failings of the South London Health Care Trust. The SLHC Trust is one of twelve which the Care Quality Commission recently categorised as 'significantly underperforming'.
Tackle poverty in Greenwich
- We will assist Greenwich residents to get the benefits to which they are entitled. The Borough of Greenwich is the eighth most deprived London borough; it ranks tenth, out of thirty-two London boroughs, for child poverty. Liberal Democrats know that an intelligent and well led Council can do more for all of its residents if it does all it can to lessen the poverty experienced by its most deprived residents.
Strike a fair balance between the Council Tax you have to pay and the services Greenwich Borough residents need
- We will be honest about local taxation and get the best out of the money you provide by running local services efficiently. In 2008 the Audit Commission awarded Bexley a higher score for its efficient use of resources than Greenwich Borough. The Audit Commission also awarded Lewisham a higher score for its work with local partner organisations. There is no good reason Greenwich cannot do at least as well as its neighbours and Greenwich Liberal Democrats will supply the leadership needed to ensure that Greenwich Council performs at least as well as its neighbours do.
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