“STANDING UP FOR CARMARTHENSHIRE”
Labour’s Manifesto for Carmarthenshire Maniffesto Llafur dros Sîr Gaerfyrddin
2012
“SEFYLL YN GADARN DROS SIR GAERFYRDDIN” MESSAGE FROM THE LEADER OF THE CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL LABOUR GROUP AND THE CHAIR OF THE COUNTY LABOUR PARTY - “TEAM CARMARTHENSHIRE”.
Jan Williams
Kevin Madge
We are proud to present our Labour Party Manifesto for the 2012 Carmarthenshire County Council elections. This is a bold and exciting Manifesto which will guide Labour councillors and our County through the next five years. It builds on our strong record of delivery in the council since 2004. During that time, we have delivered record investment in our schools, social services and housing as well as improved town centres and better community facilities. We want to make it clear from the outset that the council faces its toughest financial situation in decades as a result of the savage cuts which the Tory-led UK Government is imposing upon Wales. These cuts are not of our making and they go too far, too fast. While these Tory-driven cuts will place severe constraints on what the Council will be able to do over the next five years, we will not allow them to halt our ambitions for Carmarthenshire. Our priorities are the priorities of the people of Carmarthenshire. In these tough economic times, we want to prioritise those council services which benefit our most vulnerable citizens and our hard-working families. The commitments set out in this manifesto are designed to improve key local services within the limited means available to the Council, without hitting our hard-pressed council tax payers with unreasonable demands. Labour is standing up for Carmarthenshire during these tough times and, over the next five years, we want to build on our proud record of delivering stronger, safer, greener communities.
Jan Williams
Kevin Madge
CONTENTS OF THIS MANIFESTO:
STANDING UP FOR CARMARTHENSHIRE PART 1: HIGHLIGHTS AND SUMMARY DETAILS OF OUR PLEDGES AND PROPOSALS
PART 2: COMPREHENSIVE DETAILS OF ALL OF OUR MANIFESTO COMMITTMENTS
********************* PART 1 Highlights and Summary 1. Social Justice and Community Well-being 2. Economic Development 3. Community Safety 4. Young people and Youth Employment 5. Health and Social Care 6. Housing 7. Education 8. Older People 9. Transport and Highways 10. Our Environment
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“A Vote for Labour is a Vote for a Better Carmarthenshire” SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING “Equality of opportunity for all”
Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Provide our communities with strong leadership Promote the Welsh Language throughout the County Respond rapidly to veterans requiring Council services Promote Fair Trade Support work to tackle violence and domestic abuse Become beacons of best practise in the workforce Ensure Best Practise in Quality Service Delivery Work closely with workforce representatives Support the principles of equality across the County Work diligently to eradicate poverty
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT “Promoting Sustainable Growth in our County” Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Seek Enterprise Zone Status within Carmarthenshire Open up land for future development Ensure good value for Council taxpayers Campaign for: The Amman - Gwendraeth Link Road, The Ammanford Distributor Road, and The Llandeilo by-pass Lobby to upgrade the West Wales rail network Review the work of the Tourism Review Board Support business and job creation through: Promoting and supporting inward investment Providing more support to local businesses Promoting new technology for new jobs Developing a Carmarthenshire “Brand” Develop Technology in Education for Jobs Campaign for improved Broadband Promote Town Centre regeneration programmes Refurbish Town Centre buildings Review local bus services with a view to strengthening services Support keeping Museums open in Carmarthenshire Promote and seek to improve facilities in our Country Parks Work closely with and help develop the rural community Improve signage for motorists entering Carmarthenshire
COMMUNITY SAFETY “Maintaining a Safe Carmarthenshire” Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Introduce new by-laws to reduce anti-social behaviour Undertake a complete review of road safety schemes Continue to roll out 20 mph speed limit in school areas Raise awareness in schools of dangers of substance misuse Oppose the Tory-led closure of manned Police Stations Fight to keep for a Fire Service fit for purpose Keep our crossing control wardens Strengthen links with Community Councils to ensure safer environment Strengthen the voice of the people over licensing applications Introduce new by-laws to curb licensing where necessary, and - consider a by-law to curb rogue traders using lay-bys
YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT “Training Carmarthenshire's Youth for the Jobs of Tomorrow” Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Provide new apprentice places in the County Council Support private companies to increase apprenticeship places Ensure that education ties in with the needs of employers Pursue new funding outside of the County Appoint special “Youth Employment Officers” Maintain Council contributions to County Youth projects Continue to support Youth Forums Involve Councillors in the work of Youth Projects and Forums Seek new opportunities with Town and Community Councils
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE “Free proper and suitable health and social care for all” Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Improve services by working with with other Local Authorities Support Council Run Residential Care Homes and sheltered housing Continue to improve Service provision for vulnerable adults Continue to provide hot Meals on Wheels Support existing luncheon clubs and promote new ones Continue to reduce hospital bed-blocking Campaign to maintain all services at Prince Philip Hospital Continue to support the Glangwili and Amman Valley hospitals Keep current system of “Blue Badges”
HOUSING “Sustaining Carmarthenshire's Communities” Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Bring as many empty Council Houses as possible into use Release Council land for new Council Houses Build new Council sheltered housing, including bungalows Aim for appropriate percentage of social housing in new private estates Work with Labour Welsh Government on the financing of social homes Encourage private home owners to bring empty homes into use
EDUCATION “Better Schools and Educational Opportunities for All” Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Retain the involvement of the County Council in Education Develop the “Schools for the 21st Century” programme Continue to improve school standards and research employer's needs Support and monitor SEN in mainstream schools Protect the right of choice for education in Welsh or English Maintain support for adult education and vocational training Maintain the high standards of Children's Services Encourage take up of Labour's free breakfasts in primary schools Support the Welsh Government “Flying Start” Programme, and - where possible expand it in the County Undertake a complete review of all school transport
OLDER PEOPLE “Care, Dignity and independence for our older people” Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Undertake a full review of Council services for older people Prioritise resources for care and social services for older people Liaise widely to improve the well-being of elderly people Maintain resources for adult education and leisure Raise awareness of all the benefits available for the elderly Redouble efforts to promote the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for pensioners Promote Labour's free bus travel scheme for elderly and disabled people
TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS “Expanding economies need Transport Systems fit for purpose”
Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Campaign for the Amman-Gwendraeth Link Road Campaign for the Ammanford distributor road Campaign for the Llandeilo by-pass Prioritise the maintenance and condition of road surfaces Improve utility company road surface digging co-ordination Ring-fence resources and prioritise bridge maintenance programme Prioritise winter pavement gritting on routes to schools Oppose any attempts to charge “Blue Badge” holders for parking
OUR ENVIRONMENT “Improving the Environment for All” Key Commitments A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Ensure all new public buildings are energy efficient Implement sustainable technologies to existing stock Ensure all new vehicles and equipment also energy efficient Actively promote green energy within the county Return a Council Run Pest Control Service Consider providing a monthly kerbside glass collection Investigate possibility of delivering free refuse bags to households Increase fines for littering and dog fouling to £100 and using the proceeds: Appoint more Enforcement Officers and increase patrols Require new retail outlets and supermarkets to provide recycling facilities Provide winter pavement gritting as well as road gritting Improve county flood protection and reduce sewerage spillages Work more closely with Environment Agency and Welsh Water Establish new bridleways for horses
“STANDING UP FOR CARMARTHENSHIRE” PART 2 COMPREHENSIVE DETAILS OF OUR PLEDGES AND PROPOSALS CONTENTS
1. Social Justice and Well-being 2. Economic Development 3. Economic Development - continued 4. Community Safety 5. Community safety – continued 6. Young People and Youth Employment 7. Health and Social Care 8. Housing 9. Education 10. Older People 11. Transport and Highways 12. Our Environment 13. Our Environment – continued 14. Labour's Promises to the Citizens of Carmarthenshire
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SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING “Equality of opportunity for all� We believe that in these tough times, our County needs Labour councillors who will stand up and fight against the damage being caused to our communities by the Tory-led UK Government. We will provide strong leadership. Our Councillors will work with local communities, neighbouring authorities and the Welsh Labour Government to improve services and deliver social justice. This Manifesto sets out our proposals to maintain, and where possible improve services together, to give young people a fair chance in life, and to stand up for vital local services. The Labour Party ethos and principles on the provision of Community well-being for all has Social Justice as the core value of our Manifesto proposals and sets out our long held beliefs of Equality, Fairness and Opportunity for both Young and Older citizens. Promoting the Welsh Language. The Welsh language is part of the social and economic life of our communities: we will seek to increase the number of Welsh speakers in our County and provide choice of language in our schools. Veterans and Military Personnel. Members of our armed forces often have difficulty in accessing council services in their home towns: we will ensure that there is a rapid response to any requests for council services from military personnel in our County. Fair Trade. Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on discussion, transparency and reverence, that seeks greater equity in international trade and it contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, small time producers and co-operatives. A Labour-led County Council will support Fair Trade initiatives within the County and the procurement of Fair Trade produce where possible and appropriate. Domestic violence and domestic abuse. We will promote and we will support measures to tackle and eradicate violence and domestic abuse and support victims. Best Practise. We will strive to be be beacons of Best Practise in the workforce, promoting the principals of social partnership, developing our workforces and encouraging a constructive relationship with trade unions. In particular we will be transparent in providing information on the Council's financial position, and we will aim to avoid job loss and protect services by exploring all the potential options including service changes. Equality. We will promote the principles and practice of equality across the Council and we will promote equality with our partners. Eradication of Poverty. We will work tirelessly to eradicate poverty in Carmarthenshire. Our specially appointed Councillors, working with town and community councillors, will seek to help improve the prosperity and well-being of all our citizens and in so doing work to eradicate poverty.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Promoting Sustainable Growth for the County The prosperity and well-being of the people of Carmarthenshire is dependant on a dynamic County which attracts more home grown businesses and which is an attractive location for businesses from outside in which to invest. Labour is determined to continue the process of making Carmarthenshire more and more dynamic in the best interests of its people. We will work hard to develop the economy of our County: we will seek Enterprise Zone Status within Carmarthenshire and we will open up new land for future economic development. A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will prioritise the following areas: Good Value for Ratepayers. Delivering many of our proposals depends on receiving sufficient funding from central government, and the collection of Council tax: we will fight hard to obtain our fair share of central government funding whilst at the same time doing everything possible to keep down the rate of Council tax we collect from householders. We will ensure Good Value for Council ratepayers by establishing an effective delivery of Council functions and services. Major Road Developments. As detailed in our Transport and Highways Section, we will will campaign for the major road infrastructure developments at the Amman-Gwendraeth Link Road, the second phase of the Ammanford Distributor Road, and the Llandeilo by-pass. Rail Network. Labour will lobby to upgrade the West Wales rail network which we consider vital to delivering a 21st century expanding local economy Tourism. Labour believes that our County now needs a new bold campaign to promote tourism in Carmarthenshire. Labour will review the Council “Tourism Review Board” to examine new ideas and approaches to promoting Carmarthenshire to tourists from outside of the County. Investment Carmarthenshire has an enviable record of inward investment, the leading Council for its size in Wales. Labour believes that the County Council needs to build on this success and we will ensure that funding continues to be made available to support inward investment both from within the UK and from the EU and elsewhere. Business Support. The backbone of our economy is our existing businesses, including the hundreds of Small and Medium sized enterprises which play such a vital role in our local economy: Labour intends to do all that it can to support this important sector. Labour will streamline business support through creating an easy access point of information and will promote the availability of these services throughout the County. Job Creation and New Technology. Labour is only too aware that the Tory led cuts are leading to job losses in Carmarthenshire. The County Council has already agreed to take over the Dafen Technium, and Labour intends to follow up this decision by providing further incentives to bring in new technology both to the Technium and to the rest of the County. Labour believes that by encouraging new technology investment in the County we will create hundreds of new jobs in the this sector. Furthermore, Labour intends to work with partners in the public and private sectors with a view to job creation and will put similar resources into other sectors to speed up the process. We are determined to pursue a proactive policy of attracting new jobs to our county. Making the most of our public and private sectors. Labour will investigate the possibility of “branding” Carmarthenshire with a view to promoting the County’s industries and products throughout the world. Labour is a strong supporter of a “mixed public and private local economy” and believes that by creating partnerships between retail, farming, manufacturing, fishing, culture and strong public services will create wealth and jobs for the community.
Building skills through technology. Labour intends to do what it can at the County Council level to support the use of Technology in order to facilitate access to learning in more rural and remote areas of the County by developing linkages with Secondary, Apprenticeship Higher Education providers. We believe that this will also help to reduce the need for travel, and will be thus environmentally friendly. Broadband. Labour will work energetically with partners to ensure more rapid introduction of Broadband throughout the County. We will work to promote and engage with the Welsh Labour Government's “Broadband Support Scheme” to help tackle “notspots”, and “Next Generation Broadband for Wales” (NGBW) project to improve broadband coverage. Town Centre Regeneration. Although enormous steps have been made over the past few years in the regeneration of our town centres, and many new jobs have been created, more work needs to be done. We will ensure that in both Llanelli and Ammanford, town regeneration will continue the process of bringing these vital centres back to life. We will target black spot areas in our smaller population centres including Cross Hands, Whitland, Llandeilo, Kidwelly, Cwmamman, St Clears, Newcastle Emlyn, Llandovery, Burry Port, Laugharne and elsewhere. We will also consult with local Co-operatives and Mutual Societies to seek their views on the ways forward. Labour will set up a Council task force headed by a Cabinet Member, who will visit each town centre area to engage with local communities to seek their views on what is needed Refurbishment. In many areas large buildings have been allowed to decay in our town centres. We will undertake a review of the use of these buildings for the future: we will investigate whether they might be assigned for the use of young people for example for new workshops, business premises, entertainment centres, indoor sports, crèches, slimming clubs, flats, or for any other sustainable development. Transport. Transport is a major issue for many people in our mainly rural County, - in particular for non-car owners. Public transport is accordingly of extreme importance in Carmarthenshire. Labour will review the situation regarding transportation in the County with the aim of providing a joint Public / Private solution which as well as being of help to the less well-off, will also be in line with our green energy policies. We will campaign for new roads as highlighted in our Transportation section in order to assist economic growth and reduce the levels of pollution from vehicles using the overcrowded roads in Ammanford and Llandeilo. County Museums. We will ensure that the County Museums at Parc Howard Llanelli, and Abergwili Carmarthen remain open and viable. Rural Community. Labour is the Party of the whole of Carmarthenshire. We want to continue to develop initiatives to assist our rural communities, in particular with view to “adding value” to rural businesses. Labour will ensure that a Cabinet member has responsibility for “Rural Development” within their portfolio and engages regularly with rural community leaders, community groups and people who live in our rural communities. Improve Leisure Facilities. We will improve facilities at Pembrey Country Park and at other leisure facilities in the County with a view to encouraging tourists to visit our county, and having visited will wish to come back again. “Welcome to Carmarthenshire”. Finally, a Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will introduce “welcome” signs extolling the virtues of our County on all roads leading into our beautiful diverse and dynamic county. Far too many motorists pass through Carmarthenshire without stopping, and Labour intends to take steps to remedy this – and we will keep up maintenance of tree growth that blocks visibility.
COMMUNITY SAFETY Maintaining a Safe Carmarthenshire Community safety is at the heart of Labour's aspirations for the well-being of our citizens. We believe that insufficient consideration has been given community safety in the past, and Labour intends to seek to remedy this situation with a raft of plans and ideas.
Children and Road Safety A Labour-led Council will undertake a complete review of road safety provision in our County, in particular as regards school children. We will continue to roll out a 20 mph speed limit on roads leading to schools and we will continue to work with Schools to promote road safety. We will promote and encourage existing road safety initiatives including programmes such as the “Kerb Craft Scheme” already running within our schools. We will support road safety controls at school crossings by actively recruiting crossing control wardens and extending signage. We will also promote substance misuse awareness within schools.
Policing, Community Support Officers and Fire Services We will undertake a comprehensive review of Community Safety provision in our County with a view to streamlining all services. Following the Welsh Labour Government's provision of 500 new PCSO's in Wales, we will substantially increase the number of PCSO's throughout the County. We will work with the Neighbourhood Policing Teams to define the role of PCSO's with a view to increasing contact with the public in general. We will oppose the Tory-driven reduction of Police Officers in Carmarthenshire and the closure of manned Police Stations. We will support Neighbourhood Policing Teams by widely promoting “PACT” meetings and contacts within our communities. We will oppose any proposals to reduce Fire Service provision. We will seek to help those families living in crime “hot spot” areas who have problems obtaining insurance cover for their properties and goods.
Anti Social Behaviour and Community Safety. We will introduce new by-laws in line with the Welsh Government's initiatives to reduce anti-social behaviour in our communities. By-laws will include making the consumption of alcohol illegal in public areas and we will introduce new by-laws to curb “cold calling” especially after dark. We will promote the “KIN Scheme” – “Key Individuals in the Neighbourhood” and the “Owl Watch Scheme”. We will expand the DNA profiling of property scheme, starting in “hotspot” areas. We will continue to encourage and help finance Community Safety Groups
Closer Co-operation with Community Councils We will undertake a comprehensive review of the County Council's relationship with Community Councils so as to ensure better communication and a safer community environment. We will appoint specialist Councillors who will be assigned to liaise with Community Councils to ensure much closer working on all matters affecting their communities. We will also liaise with Community Councils with a view to improving the levels of street lighting throughout our County and we will ensure that there are no reductions in this provision.
Licensing of Premises We will undertake a complete review of the way that the licensing system operates in the County to ensure that the interests of the general public are better protected. This will include making it easier for individuals and Groups to make representations to the Licensing Committee. Where necessary we will ensure that new by-laws are introduced to support licensing curbs. Rogue Traders A Labour-led County Council will look at the possibility of introducing a by-law that will help address the issue of rogue traders using lay-bys and grass verges to sell their cars.
YOUNG PEOPLE & YOUTH EMPLOYMENT Training Carmarthenshire’s Youth for the Jobs of the Future Labour is concerned at the plight of young people in our County and in particular with the rising levels of youth unemployment as a result of the cuts in expenditure being brought in by ConDem coalition in London. Labour will help young people to tackle the problems and issues they face and a Labour-led Council will introduce measures to improve the lives and well-being of our young people, reducing the levels of unemployment where possible. Within the County Council we will provide new apprenticeships, which will not be at the expense of existing staff. We will also seek new apprenticeships in local Town and Community Councils and will give support to local companies and organisations increase the number of apprenticeships in their workplaces. Labour is aware of the fine efforts of public and private sector agencies in the County aimed at getting young people either into employment for the first time, or back into work. We will provide resources to bolster the efforts of the private sector so that more and more young people are found jobs, training or apprenticeships. We will also work to ensure that the education of young people is more closely tied to the requirements of employers. In these ways our young people will be trained ready to take on the new jobs which will become available when there is a new Labour Government at Westminster. We are aware that new funding, as well as that provided by the County Council, will be required to deliver all of our ambitious programmes for getting young people into work: we want to find substantial new opportunities each year which will require funding. We will pursue all of the opportunities open to us for joint funding of initiatives involving EU and the Welsh Government funding. We will appoint a Senior Youth Employment Officer from within the ranks of the County Council and we will continue the work we already do with a view to appointing specialist dedicated youth employment officers in the three main employment areas of the County – the West, Llanelli and Dinefwr. These officers will spearhead programmes with the Town and Community Councils and Agencies so as to ensure that young people are provided with all possible support in finding suitable jobs, training, or apprenticeships. Labour recognises the outstanding contribution that our Youth Projects in Carmarthen Llanelli and Ammanford and Youth Forums make in enhancing the lives of younger people living in our towns and the surrounding areas. Labour will maintain the financial contribution it makes to the County Youth Projects and Forums and will continue supporting the the work they undertake. We will involve elected Councillors directly in the work of these youth initiatives, who will report back to the Council at regular intervals. We will consult with our Town and Community Councils with a view to identifying and encouraging new apprentice places within these Councils.
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE “Good Quality, free Health and Social care for All” The Labour Party was the architect of the National Health Service introduced in the 1940s. Such has been the improvement of the health of the nation over the years that social care has become just as important as health care. In recent years, we have seen pressures on social care budgets across Wales as a result of demographic changes and as the Tory-led UK Government’s savage cuts hit our councils hard. We recognise the challenges we face in Carmarthenshire in ensuring that our care services meet the needs of all who rely on them. In meeting these challenges, we will ensure closer and smarter collaboration in delivering care services through integration with other local authorities. Care. Labour is committed to maintaining the current level of Council run care homes whilst the present funding levels imposed by the Tory-led UK Government continues. The Council's long-term care service provides personal care and assistance with day to day living to people who wish to continue to live in their own homes, but for reasons of illness or disability need long-term help to do so. Labour will review the home-care service, and the service provision for vulnerable adults with a view to seeking improvements. Labour will also review the situation in the County sheltered housing schemes with a view to reinstating on site wardens wherever possible Meals on Wheels. A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will continue the Council's hot meals on wheels service and will not accept any reductions in this service during its term of office. Luncheon Clubs. One of the success stories in recent years in Carmarthenshire has been the large increase in the number of Council supported luncheon clubs. There are currently 30 luncheon clubs throughout the County providing hot meals and the opportunity for people to socialise. Some clubs also hold health and well-being activities and other social events. These clubs are mostly in the voluntary sector and run by volunteers. Labour will continue to support the existing luncheon clubs and will also provide assistance for any new clubs which wish to start up. Bed Blocking. This is another success story. We will continue to support measures to reduce the incidence of delayed transfers of care, or bed-blocking, particularly for vulnerable adults. Carmarthenshire's Hospitals. Labour will fight tooth and nail to keep all of the existing hospitals in the County and to maintain the levels of care they provide. In the case of Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, Labour will work alongside its MP and AM to fight to maintain the widest possible range of services at Prince Philip, including the A and E department. Blue Badge Scheme. A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will protectthe current free parking system for Blue Badge holders and we will oppose any attempts to reduce services available to disabled people.
HOUSING Sustaining Carmarthenshire’s Communities Carmarthenshire has at least 5000 people on the waiting list for Council Homes whilst there are a total of 2000 empty houses in the County. It is also estimated that of the 84,000 homes in Carmarthenshire, one quarter need substantial attention, and many are barely fit for human habitation. Furthermore, as people are living longer and longer, and children move out of the family home, more and more homes are needed for our citizens as less and less homes become available for family use. Robust and ambitious proposals will be required to meet the housing shortage - both in the private and public sectors. Labour is determined to pursue dynamic policies to provide the extra homes needed throughout the five years of the new Administration in Carmarthenshire. There are 200 empty council houses, and the slow turn round when people move out further exacerbates the situation. Labour will tackle this issue head on, focussing on the areas with the greatest need.. Labour will inaugurate a programme of building Council bungalows working with the Welsh Government to seek further financing, alongside its own funds, to provide the new homes. Labour will continue to work with the Housing Associations to provide low cost housing in the County. In this regard Labour will ensure that the Council liaises with housing and any other suitable private sector providers, to build new homes on any Council land found suitable for this purpose. Abusive Council tenants will not be tolerated. Labour will take appropriate action, and evict tenants as the law permits. Labour will require a high level of low cost houses to be built as part of any new housing estates. Labour would aim to achieve a 15% figure of new low cost homes in any new housing developments. Labour will also require suitable “Section 106� agreements, to be negotiated by the County Council, to include parks and leisure facilities as part and parcel of any new build agreements.
EDUCATION LIFELONG LEARNING and CHILDREN'S SERVICES Better Schools and Educational Opportunities for All Ages Helping everyone achieve their potential from childhood to old age through education and lifelong learning are a Key Priority for Labour in Carmarthenshire. We want to see children and young people develop and grow into healthy adults and have the opportunity to achieve success in our schools and beyond and develop their abilities to the maximum. We want to provide more opportunities through lifelong learning in the community as a whole to enable all of our people to take on new skills, new interests, new challenges, and to socialise and meet new friends. Labour accepts that Carmarthenshire is one of the leading Counties in Wales as far as education provision is concerned. The “Modernisation of Education Programme” has revolutionised education in Carmarthenshire, and Labour intends to continue with the good work. There still remain a number of decrepit school buildings, some dating to Victorian times, and Labour will ensure that the programme of replacing these buildings continues. Labour supports the concept of Local Authority direction of Education whereby elected Councillors, directly responsible to the people, oversee the provision of education in their areas, via LEAs. Labour will continue to enhance the standard of teaching in our schools with a view to improving the attainment of pupil qualifications; Labour will link in with employers in the county in order to ensure that our education provision meets their needs as well as those of our young people. Labour is delighted at the outstanding success of the Special Needs Canolfan Elfed Unit which opened within Queen Elizabeth High School in Carmarthen, when the new school was built in 2005. We are committed to building on this success through promoting monitoring and developing special needs education in mainstream schools. Choice of education in Welsh or English is important for Labour and we will continue to ensure that children in the County have this choice. Labour wishes to increase the level of adult learning and vocational training and will review this provision shortly after taking office. Our County's beacon Children's Services Directorate is something for all of our citizens to be proud, and Labour intends to make sure that the Directorate continues to be the state of the art children's service organisation in local government in Wales. In a large rural county such as Carmarthenshire, many children spend long periods travelling to schools, some missing breakfast: other children come from homes where a breakfast is not supplied. Labour will continue with Welsh Labour's free breakfast scheme and will provide and encourage the take up of free breakfasts in those schools which do not already offer them. Labour is concerned at the damage that can be caused by the abuse of social networking sites and will promote safe use of the internet in our schools from an early age. Labour welcomes the Welsh Government's extension of the “Flying Start Programme” in Carmarthenshire, which aims to make a decisive difference to the life chances of children aged under 4. Wherever possible Labour will seek to expand provision in the County.
OLDER PEOPLE Care, dignity and independence for our older people
“We want to see a Wales in which respect for the rights and dignity of older people is a practical reality in all areas of life, where age discrimination is a thing of the past and where a positive view of ageing and of older people prevails� These are the words of the Older People's Commissioner for Wales: they also represent the aims and ambitions of Carmarthenshire Labour with regard to older people living in our County. Labour in power in Carmarthenshire will take positive steps to improve the wellbeing and prosperity of all of our citizens, we will make particular and special efforts regarding older people. We will undertake a complete and comprehensive review of the services provided for older people by the County Council in Carmarthenshire with the intention of keeping existing services in house. The review will also scrutinise private sector providers of services. We will endeavour to prioritise resources in care and social services for the elderly during our term of office. In particular we recognise the dangers of isolation and the vital importance of providing transport and facilities for older people to meet and socialise through day centres, luncheon clubs and educational opportunities. We will work together with the Welsh Labour Government to halt the closure of public toilets in our communities. We will appoint specialist County Councillors to liaise with Town and Community Councils with a view to seeking the views of the Community on ways of improving the lives of our citizens, especially the elderly - and we will take their advice on how best to proceed. We will ensure that joint liaison takes place between the County Council and the Health Board with special reference to the needs of elderly people. Jointly we will seek to raise awareness in the population of all of the state benefits which are available for elderly people. We will ensure that the current Welsh Government Pensioner Council Tax Reduction Scheme is widely publicised throughout the County and that Labour's free travel scheme for the elderly the disabled and their carers is similarly promoted.
TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS An expanding economy needs an expanding Transport and Highway System The proposals we are making elsewhere in this Manifesto for the expansion of our economy very much depends on an infrastructure fit for purpose. Roads and bridges will need to be maintained, black spots will need to be dealt with, and wherever possible traffic easement measures will need to be put in place. Labour intends to continue with the existing Transport and Highway budget, increasing it by the RPI inflation rate year on year. Our specific proposals regarding transport and highways are as follows. Amman-Gwendraeth Link Road. We will lobby for the Amman-Gwendraeth link road. The infrastructure in the Amman-Gwendraeth valleys has been neglected over the years and Labour would like to ensure a freer flow of traffic in this part of our County. Ammanford Distributor Road. Likewise, we will continue to press for the 2nd phase of the Ammanford Distributor Road, to ease traffic from Ammanford and Penybanc and to open up the economic potential offered by the surrounding land Llandeilo By-Pass. We are concerned at the high levels of pollution identified recently in Llandeilo town centre and at the serious congestion which local residents have to put up with. We will continue to support the construction of the new Llandeilo By-Pass, in full consultation with the people of the area. Road Maintenance. Labour will prioritise the maintenance and condition of the roads for which the Council are responsible in the County. We will consult with the various utility companies to ensure that any road digging that becomes necessary is co-ordinated so as ensure that no unnecessary disruption takes place on our roads. Winter Gritting. The Council has an excellent record of road gritting in the winter months. We would like to see that record extended to pavement gritting and we will continue to work with Town and Community Councils to ensure that the gritting of pavements is similarly undertaken. In particular we would like to see more gritting take place in our town centres and on routes to schools. Bridge Maintenance. Labour considers that this has been a neglected area in recent years due to budgetary constraints on the Council, and we intend to prioritise a bridge maintenance programme and to ring-fence resources for this purpose. Blue Badge Scheme. As we have stated in our Health and Social Care section, we will oppose any attempts to reduce or do away with the free parking in the County for Blue Badge holders – this scheme will remain safe under Labour.
OUR ENVIRONMENT Improving the Environment for Everyone in the County Labour will pursue green energy and environment friendly policies. We will continue to develop and enhance the current policies of co-operation with adjoining authorities particularly in areas such as public transport and waste management. We will seek to cut carbon emissions. A Labour Council will promote a sustainable future for the County including action to meet the zero waste challenge, and we will ensure that modern sustainable design and energy efficient technologies will be implemented in all new public buildings to meet both environmental and cost benefits. We will implement sustainable technologies to existing stock and we will ensure also that all new vehicles and equipment are energy efficient. We will support new green energy technology; Labour will look carefully at any proposals for new energy generation with a view to protecting the environment and the well-being of those living nearby: we are particularly concerned at the proliferation of electricity pylons in the County and the effect these have on the countryside, and will make every effort to reduce the amount of overhead electricity transmission in Carmarthenshire. We will reflect public concerns through the return of a Council run and delivered pest control service ensuring a safe environment for the health of the public through public health legislation. We are aware of the problems that elderly people have, as well as others in disposing of their glassware. We will look at the possibility of the collecting glassware monthly from homes directly and we will also look at investigating the possibility of returning to delivering free refuse bags to all households. Littering and dog fouling continue to be problems in our County. Labour will increase fines for littering and dog fouling to ÂŁ100 - and using the additional revenue received appoint more Enforcement Officers and increase patrols. Reasonably accessible recycling facilities are important for the citizens of our town. We will require that new retail outlets and supermarkets provide areas where Council recycling facilities will be available, - in addition to all the existing facilities. We will continue with the process of involving Town and Community Councils, as well as the County Council in winter pavement gritting. We will give priority to the pathways to and from schools, in village and town centres, outside key establishments, and in principal residential areas. We will concentrate resources on Coastal Erosion and Flood Prevention which have been neglected in recent years. Labour believes that no-one should have to live with the constant worry that their homes might be flooded. A Labour-led Council will make concerted efforts, actively seek funding, and work with the Environment Agency and Welsh Water, to protect people's homes from flooding and sewerage spills, through better maintenance, more flood defences, and speedier action in an emergency.
We will seek greater investment in the ageing sewerage system to reduce the amount of raw sewage spilling out into the Burry Inlet and Carmarthen Bay, so we can protect our fishing industry and gain and retain the blue flags for our beaches, - we want no parent to be worrying about whether the seaside is clean and safe enough for their children to play there. We will insist that any new building developments are matched with the necessary infrastructure to prevent overloading the sewage system or increasing flood risk to existing properties and that new developments take more sewerage and surface water out of the system than they put in. Finally, in support of horse owners, we will establish new bridleways for horses throughout the County.
LABOUR'S PROMISE TO THE CITIZENS OF CARMARTHENSHIRE WE WILL WORK TO: Improve Services Together Provide Strong Community Leadership in these tough times Deliver Renewal and Reform Promote equality, safe streets, social justice, greener and cleaner communities Be best practice employers promoting social partnership & staff development Deliver good value services that meet Community Priorities
TEN REASONS TO VOTE LABOUR ON MAY 3rd A Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council will: Continue with our programme to improve education across Carmarthenshire - we will spend over £140 million on our schools by 2020. Continue to raise standards and improve outcomes for children and young people in education, and improve literacy and numeracy levels throughout the County. Complete the programme of improvements to 9,000 Council Homes as part of the £200+ million Carmarthenshire Homes Standard programme. Improvements to 60% of homes have been completed to date. Work with others to win further European funding to create new and sustainable jobs in Carmarthenshire Be a listening council so that the real concerns of local people can be addressed. We will re-instate pest control officers, increase fines to tackle the problems of dog fouling in parks and streets, look at introducing a new kerbside glass collection, and provide refuse bags on the doorstep Support the substantial increase in the number of Police Community Support Officers in Carmarthenshire as part of the Labour Welsh Government's funding of 500 new PCSOs in Wales. Create new apprenticeships throughout Carmarthenshire both within the Council and through partnership with the private sector
Create new and much needed Council sheltered housing, including bungalows
Identify further opportunities for working in partnership with other agencies, town and community councils and neighbouring local authorities We will look to use ‘not for profit’ and co-operative ways of working where council provision of local services is not possible, to ensure that the needs and views of our communities are in the driving seat