This election is about big priorities. Labour is
the only
Party focussing on what's important to you. Jobs and employment. 300 new
jobs
at Globe Centre and 200 more at Whitebirk which have recently been
announced. In
these tough times Tories, Liberals and Independents remain mired in
personal
‘park bench’ and ‘firework celebration’ politic of the past that saw
Hyndburn slipping ever backwards. Labour's record on jobs stands out;
the Party that built the Globe Centre; the Party who built our
industrial estates; the Party that will
continue to focus on what matters.
Labour are the only Party who have a clear, compelling
vision for Hyndburn; jobs, transport, infrastructure. In 11 months Labour has
helped secured £9million funding which will reinstate the direct hourly rail link to
Manchester giving residents better employment opportunities and opening
Hyndburn’s heritage to rail visitors.
Labour has secured £8m for a new Accrington bus station
improving bus travel throughout the Borough; brought together the first
credible comprehensive retail plan outlined in detail in last week’s Accrington
Observer; and revived Great Harwood’s new Health Centre project, a project abandoned by the Tories.
The Tory-led Government is reducing the Councils
budget
from £17m to £11m - hurting jobs, council services and the local
economy.
Residents need a Council that can produce a credible budget, no matter
how
tough - one which focuses on these priorities. Contrast that in February
where no other Party brought forward a budget proposition. Reckless
Tory promises on leaflets of spend-spend-spend lack responsibility,
credibility and the finances to carry them through.
Quite simply this is choice between the credible and the incredible.
Huge and unfair Government cuts have meant Labour has
taken decisions to raise some charges; terminate Tory funding of the “Asian”
Community Advice Centre; freeze taxi fee's and importantly in tough times set a
0% Council Tax.
The Labour Council has had to clear up the
phantom
spending regeneration mess totalling £6.9m left by
the Conservatives which could only be funded by further bank borrowing
and
more council debts.When it comes to winning votes, local Conservatives
just can't stop spending money they don't have mortgaging future
generations to failed projects such as the £700k Hyndburn Life website - scrapped after 6 months, £1.4m spent in the Blackpool Street area on houses they can't sell at a loss or the £10's millions given away on property grants to individuals.
In contrast, following 10 years of Tory neglect, Woodnook is
to receive £7m of private money from a pension investment company in a ground
breaking deal and £2.3million of 'phasing out money’,
ring fenced by the Tory-led Government. Funding local Conservatives are misleading voters on promising to spend it ‘in other areas’.
Labour is the only Party committed to licensing
landlords; the only Party committed to beefing up environmental enforcement
services and ensuring there are no cuts to front line staff including street
cleaning, parks and refuse collection. Last May Labour inherited old and
dilapidated bin wagons. A Labour Council will be replace these vehicles.
Labour is committed to the outer townships with
improvements in parks, improved street cleaning. In Rishton Labour in
it's first
month in charge of the Council took long overdue action and demolished
old housing on Spring Street left abandoned for years by outgoing
Conservatives.
Labour are opposed to local Tory plans to cut police numbers.
Only a Labour Council understands the importance of police numbers and will
oppose any further Conservative plans for reductions in police or PCSOs in Hyndburn. A Labour Council will protect PCSO funding.
Labour in just eleven months has brought greater transparency over
decisions. Members of the public have been given time in public meetings to
speak ending years of Tory dictatorship and one man holding court and making
all decisions.
Contrast that with the Tories who have been
filling their boots with increased personal allowances and where the
Conservative leader justified his £43,000+ salary by suggesting "He had
to live". Last April before the local elections the Tories promised to
reduce their allowances. One month later after the polls had closed they
abandoned that pledge and claimed full allowances again. The
Independents voted for a cut but their actions have subsequently been
inconsistent with what they are telling the electorate.
Labour Councillors by freezing their allowances voluntarily since 2009 have taken more than a 10% cut in real terms.
On the 3rd may Hyndburn can confidently
carrying on going forward under a Labour Council or go back to the dark days of
Councillor Britcliffe and his Conservatives or return to the mired and confused
personal politics and back room deals of Independents of 2010 and 1999 when
they held the balance of power.
It's a straight forward choice. A return to a
dark Conservative past or alternatively a brighter Labour future. A
clear, strong Labour Council or a byzantine, murky Council with Independents playing of all sides.
