2012 Cardiff Manifesto

Delivering for Cardiff

A New Alternative for the Welsh Capital May 2012

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Designed by: Matthew Bumford Written by: Matthew Bumford and Luke Nicholas Printed and Promoted by: Plaid Cymru Tŷ Gwynfor Anson Court Atlantic Wharf

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Delivering for Cardiff Plaid Manifesto 2012

Others promise- but we deliver.

We are supporting Cardiff University as a Russell Group institution to be the driver of economic growth in the city and to attract the most talented people to Cardiff. Under Plaid in government in Cardiff Council we have also continued to increase spending on education so that we now have the second highest spend in Wales per pupil. We have also begun a new school building programme that includes provision for Welsh medium education that has soared in the city in recent years. We are equipping our children for the modern, confident Wales that Plaid wants to build.

Your Plaid Cymru councillors have held some of the Council’s most important responsibilities during the economic recession and the on-going downturn.

A New Alternative for Cardiff// Our Vision – A Dynamic Capital City Plaid Cymru is the only party that can call Wales its home, because we are the only party that exists solely in Wales and solely for benefit of Wales and her people. For this reason we are the only party who can say with certainty that we have Wales at our heart; and that is why Cardiff is at the heart of our vision for Wales.

To us, Cardiff is more than just another city in the United Kingdom; it is the capital and epicentre of our country. Viewing Cardiff in this way means that our policies for Cardiff cannot be second-best. We want Cardiff to be a great city and to take its place amongst the capital cities of Europe. That is why over the last four years of being in government in Cardiff we have invested heavily in improving our communities and helping to boost job creation.

We have already put in place further plans to improve the city’s road and rail links. We have set out an economic vision for the city based around the Central Business District that could make Cardiff a major European city when it comes to finance.

Unlike some neighbouring councils we have not imposed massive pay cuts on staff but have dealt sensitively with workforce issues, working in partnership with unions. This means that council staff have had one of the best settlements in Wales and the kind of disruption to services that have gone on in other councils have been avoided.

We also know that what makes Cardiff great is not just its capital city status, but its people. That is why over the last four years of being in government in Cardiff Council we have invested so much in the people of Cardiff and the jobs that they need.

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We have also avoided the cuts to cherished library services that have hit the news in England, with not a single library closing. In fact, during our time in government we opened Cardiff Central Library, which has instantly become a city landmark and a valued educational centre. Plaid Cymru has shown that there is an alternative and that we can work towards a better tomorrow.

sits up and takes notice. We are in touch with residents all year roundnot just at election time- and it is from this grassroots work that we know what needs to be done next.

Cardiff is a unique city- a global, international capital city but with a local community at its heart. We must protect the city’s heritage throughout our development and make investments in our people and infrastructure to bring continued economic growth. Building on our record, we can develop the local economy in order to secure social justice.

We have also increased Cardiff’s Welsh identity, boosting spending on Welshmedium education, supporting local cultural festivals including the St. David’s Day Parade, and attracting major events to the city so that we can market Wales to the world as an exciting destination and place for investment.

There is a clear choice for the people of Cardiff at these elections: progress and vision with Plaid Cymru or austerity and failure with the other parties. I urge you to support Plaid Cymru, the fastest growing political Party in Cardiff and Wales.

Plaid Cymru has placed strong emphasis on recycling and the green agenda and with the support of the people of Cardiff has significantly boosted domestic recycling rates and will further strive to be the best in Wales. It was Plaid Cymru that created the Sustainable Travel Town initiative for Cardiff, leading the way in Wales.

Councillor Neil McEvoy Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council Group Leader Cardiff Plaid Cymru

So recycling is going up, education spending on your local schools is going up, the economy has a clear plan based on investment not austerity and visitor numbers are looking very strong with world-class major events on the way.

In your communities across the city we now have active Plaid Cymru councillors tackling the local issues that matter to you. People now understand that when an area elects Plaid Cymru councillors, the Council 4

A Message from the Leader of Plaid Cymru The story of Plaid Cymru is remarkable. In the space of just eight years, the party went from having one councillor in Cardiff, to being in power. And Plaid’s achievements in our capital city show what can be done.

Plaid Cymru is the real alternative in Cardiff.

And, as the name suggests, Plaid Cymru is the Party of Wales and our success in Cardiff shows that there are now no areas in Wales where Plaid can’t thrive. We are now a nationwide and credible alternative to the other parties.

We value our capital city and the role it plays as the economic engine of our nation. The new, modern shopping developments together with Cardiff Central Library were all delivered with Plaid at the helm, but at the same time cherish the city’s old arcades, small businesses and Cardiff’s proud history just as much. Cardiff has a past that we can be proud of and with Plaid Cymru on Cardiff Council we have a future to look forward to.

Based on what has already been achieved in developing Cardiff, we have a clear vision for the next few years. Bucking the trend internationally, the economic plan we have proposed will support investment rather than austerity and will see services for the most vulnerable being protected.

In Cardiff, Plaid Cymru The Party of Wales is very much the New Alternative. This is the first time in our Party’s history that we are able to offer a programme to the people of Cardiff which we will have a realistic chance of carrying out.

The Plaid team in Cardiff contains a mixture of experience and energy that can really drive the council forward.

We are fielding our greatest number and range of candidates ever in Cardiff, who between them have decades of experience working in their communities and campaigning for their interests. Remember, Plaid Cymru is your local party and answers only to the people of Wales.

We have done much since 2008. Join us and let’s go forward together.

Ymlaen!

Leanne Wood AM

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Capital Cardiff Fund, which provides public investment for new and existing firms in the city. To access these funds companies must create jobs. So far the scheme has already provided over £1 million to 48 companies to help create and protect 648 jobs in the city.

Economy, Jobs & Transport// There is no escaping the fact that times are tough. Over the last few years the Welsh economy has struggled and all three of the main parties in London have made austerity their guiding policy.

Keeping Your Council Tax lowPlaid Cymru understands that council tax hits people where it hurts, which is why we have kept increases to this unfair tax low- the second lowest in Wales over the past four years. Cardiff Council Tax increases averaged 2.7% per annum. Under Labour in Cardiff, the figure was 11%. The only council with a lower rise during this period was Plaid-run Caerffili, with no increase at all over the past 2 years.

Through careful financial management and reducing unproductive bureaucracy, we have not had to bring about significant cuts to achieve this.

But the mistakes made by parties in London are not an excuse for lack of action here in Wales. Plaid does not believe in austerity, we believe in investment. We didn’t cause the financial crisis, but we are now committed to delivering a more prosperous future for the people of Cardiff. Our record is proof that we can get the most from declining resources and our policies are evidence that we can build an economy that will serve the needs of the people of Cardiff.

Our Record//

Protecting jobs- Because of the Tory agenda at Westminster all councils are facing major pressures to make cuts.

But, while neighbouring Labour councils have attacked workers' pay and conditions, Plaid has restructured senior management to make savings and negotiated in good faith with the trade unions, giving our workers one of the most generous pay settlements in Wales and avoiding the kinds of disruption to services that have gone on in councils run by other parties.

Central Business District- We have introduced £160m worth of plans for Cardiff's Central Business District, winning Welsh Enterprise Zone status and giving the city centre a viable economic future. This will put Cardiff on the map and the social and economic benefits will include a new £10m modern Central Bus Station and an £18m International Convention Centre. All of this falls under Plaid's economy portfolio in the council.

Winning major events- We have brought major events to Cardiff such as WOMEX- the largest World Music Industry event, which is backed by the United Nations. We have also started

Capital Cardiff Fund- As a response to the economic downturn we did not simply sit back and accept decline. At the council Plaid Cymru fought against the economic slump and drew up the 6

developing Cardiff as a quality destination for boxing promotions, bringing in the WBC Night of Champions and the 2013 World Boxing Convention- fighting off competition from Dubai and Croatia.

These and other international events bring in visitors and trade, and showcase Cardiff to the world.

to show them the investment opportunities we have in Cardiff in key economic sectors such as the creative industries, bio/life sciences and green technologies. We will not sit back during times of reducing budgets but will seek to be innovative to bring in investment from overseas. The Capital Cardiff Fund will be expanded.

Source Cardiff- We allocated £50,000 to 'Source Cardiff', an ongoing initiative that aims to source more council contracts for local businesses. We're backing Cardiff's businesses as part of this smart and innovative policy. Plaid Cymru recognises that we must nurture Welsh businesses and so we will endeavour to source our services from local businesses wherever possible.

Promote arcades and marketsWe have delivered world-class modern developments such as St. David’s 2.

But we also want to promote Cardiff's historic character and local produce such as the city centre arcades, Central Market, and Riverside Market. We are pledging to help finance advertising and publicity campaigns to boost visitor numbers and tell more people about these unique assets.

Our Pledges//

Protecting our heritage

Roll out the Central Business District- We need to make a success of the Central Business District, including negotiating with key companies to move in, and campaigning on a wider level for better road, rail and air links to the city. Plaid Cymru Councillors played a key role in negotiating Welsh Government funding and planning for this landmark development. We are determined to see it through to delivery.

Plaid successfully changed Cardiff Council’s policy and kept the historic book collection in Wales. We will show the same determination in lobbying the Welsh Government to help save the Vulcan Pub. Road resurfacing and potholesThe city's transport network needs continuous investment because it is heavily used. We will firstly maintain Cardiff’s commitment of a £44 million investment in Highways over the next five years with a view to further increasing it. A pothole hotline will also be readily established.

Internationalise the Capital Cardiff Fund- Plaid Cymru Councillors are already drawing up plans to charter a plane from New York City to Cardiff for the St. David’s Day Parade in 2013. We will aim to bring in business people from the US

Connecting the Cardiff RegionThe Welsh and UK Governments are responsible for much of the infrastructure around Cardiff. After 7

successfully lobbying for the electrification of the main rail line into Cardiff from London, Plaid Cymru will continue to make the case for the electrification of the Valley Lines. This will be a huge help to commuters and will stimulate the economy. We are completely dissatisfied with overcrowding on the trains and will make it clear to the rail companies and the UK Government that investment in railways must increase to keep up with demand.

international city and so we will keep up the pressure on the Welsh Government until a modern and connected airport is delivered for Cardiff. We will continue to call upon the Welsh Government to prioritise international air links with New York and Dubai in the near future.

Within the city we have already introduced a car hire scheme to reduce congestion and reduce carbon emissions and we have doubled the number of cycle lanes in the city. We also successfully delivered the multimillion pound Pont y Werin Bridge to connect the International Sports Village in Cardiff Bay with Penarth.

The bridge for pedestrians and cyclists was brought about under the stewardship of Plaid Councillor and Cardiff Lord Mayor Delme Bowen and the funding was part-delivered by the former Plaid Deputy First Minister of Wales Ieuan Wyn Jones.

Cardiff is a 21st Century city and deserves a 21st Century transport network but at present commuters are asked to make do with a transport system built in Victorian times. This is why we will back plans for a Cardiff Metro system to connect Cardiff and the wider south-east region. Given our successful history of negotiating the multi-million pound Central Business District we feel we are the only party who could bring about the much needed Cardiff Metro system and pledge to play our full part in helping to deliver it.

We will work with other local authorities in the City Region to borrow money to invest in transport infrastructure to enable our citizens to move around the local regional economic area.

One of Cardiff’s most notable achievements was to deliver the “Iff” smartcard that can be used for payments on Cardiff Bus. This was the first such card in Wales. We will now push for the Iff Card to be used on trains as well so that passengers are able to utilise several modes of transport to get them to where they want to go.

We also want to see the Welsh Government bring forward serious plans to revive Cardiff International Airport, including a direct rail service, to compete with other cities. Cardiff needs an airport that matches our aspirations to become a truly

After the successful Plaid Pilot of the Oy bike scheme, we will unroll a much larger and improved scheme, similar to London. To achieve cost savings with this, we will ask the Welsh Government to work in partnership with us to place the scheme in several 8

viable areas of Wales. Cooperation is the way forward for smaller nations.

Keeping the economy moving- We have the distinction of being the only council in the UK that has taken equity shares in high-growth businesses under Plaid stewardship. We will continue with this policy and seek to enlarge it to ensure that the council sees a healthy return from the investments that are made so that further investment can take place. We believe that in a time of reducing budgets the public sector should be making its money work for it to gain greater revenue rather than cutting jobs and services.

Keeping the economy local- We will continue to promote credit unions as a way of giving access to savings and loans in the city and we will also continue to support social enterprise.

Parking made easier- We know that many residents in Cardiff struggle to find parking and that this is often because people from outside the community are parking for free in our streets. That is why we increased the available provision of resident’s parking in the city up to 75%. We now want to see as many streets as possible take up 75% resident’s parking and so during the next administration we will consult with as many streets as possible to see whether they would like this important change. However, where resident’s parking is not wanted or is inappropriate, we will ensure it does not go ahead.

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Building for your children

Education//

In 2010 the Council launched its blueprint for the future of Cardiff’s schools for the next 15 years. This included an ambitious school building programme.

Plaid Cymru recognises that Cardiff’s future is dependent on a welleducated, highly-skilled workforce. We want to see our children given the best start in life and for them to receive first-class education until they enter employment.

This programme will see new schools built in Pontprennau and Canton and investment and expansion in schools across the city. The plan will also see a significant increase in the number of nursery places available to help children get the best start from their first day.

But for Plaid Cymru education doesn’t stop when you get your first job. We believe in life-long learning and think adults should always have the opportunity to continue learning, training and re-training.

Meeting demand

These core values affect our approach to education in Cardiff and have led to a record on education that is unrivalled.

In January 2011 Cardiff Council, where Plaid is in government, published its consultation on Welsh-medium education around the Canton area.

Our Record//

We are pleased to say that demand for Welsh-medium education is significant, which justifies our strong action to ensure that a new Welshmedium school was built in Canton.

The new school will replace Ysgol Treganna and be built on a council owned site on Sanatorium Road. The school will boast three forms of entry and state of the art facilities to educate our children to the highest standards.

Spending more on your child There is no escaping the fact that under the last Labour administration spending per pupil in Cardiff was low.

In fact, Cardiff ranked just 11th out of the 22 local authorities in Wales. This situation was unacceptable for the children of Wales’s capital city.

By 2012, under Plaid in government in Cardiff Council, spending per pupil for nursery, primary and secondary schools is now the 2nd highest in Wales. This has been an extraordinary achievement for our children and shows the commitment Plaid places in each and every one of Cardiff’s children

Fun for the whole family Plaid Cymru understands that families need a place where the whole family can come together to use and enjoy the Welsh language. That is why we have made Menter Caerdydd the best funded Menter in the whole of Wales.

This has led to a whole range of fun activities for the families, including 10

social activities and learning packs for Welsh learners.

21st Century schools- Our blueprint for the future of Cardiff’s schools is an achievement that we can be proud of but we want to go even further. That is why we are planning to push the Welsh Government hard for further investment through the 21st Century Schools Programme to ensure that our children are equipped to live in the modern, confident and ambitious capital that Plaid is building.

Food for thought- As a party that respects religious diversity we are proud to say that we were able to deliver on our commitment to supply halal food to Islamic children in Cardiff schools.

Our Pledges// Aim to make Cardiff number 1Having the second best funded children per pupil in all of Wales is a major achievement in itself. But for Plaid second place is not good enough.

Cardiff is the capital of Wales and so we believe that our children deserve even better. We are pledging to make Cardiff the number 1 authority in all of Wales for spending per pupil.

A multilingual city- During our time in government in Cardiff Council we have made the largest investment in Welsh-medium education the city has ever known. This is leading to Cardiff becoming a truly bilingual city that will give our children the opportunity to work, study and socialise through both English and Welsh. But as a party that puts a high premium on cultural diversity and the benefits of multilingualism we want to see a dedicated sixth-form college established to teach further modern languages to our children, including Mandarin and Asian sub-continent languages. We feel such a move would have major benefits to our economy and our children’s opportunities by further connecting Cardiff to the global economy. We will also explore expanding teaching of modern languages at primary level.

Further consultation on Welshmedium education- The new Ysgol Treganna on Sanatorium Road will do much to satisfy the current demand for Welsh-medium education but demand is growing at such a pace that we must keep planning for the future. That is why Plaid is pledging to undertake further consultations to establish demand, particularly in the Grangetown area of the city. Once further demand has been established we will have the information we need to go ahead and meet that demand.

We will also realise the ambition of a fourth Welsh Medium Secondary School, whilst making sure we properly invest in English medium education as well.

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Libraries for all

Community//

With the swingeing cuts that councils have had to endure recently many people have seen their valued community libraries cut. We are proud to say that this has not been the case in Cardiff and that not a single library in Cardiff has closed during the downturn. In fact during our time in office we delivered the £4.7 million Cardiff Central Library, which immediately became a centre of learning and an iconic landmark in the very heart of the city.

Cardiff is in a unique and enviable position. Under Plaid’s leadership in the Council we are becoming a global city but at the heart of the city is a local community. It is that local community that makes Cardiff a great city to live in and that is why we have we have put community at the heart of our time on Cardiff Council.

Our Record// Capital festivals

We have also delivered a £1.2 million restoration to Cathays Library, restoring the library to its former Edwardian grandeur with contemporary European architecture.

We have also refurbished other libraries across the city including Llanrumney Learning and Information Centre (£156k), Penylan Library and Community Centre (£1.84m), Radyr Library (229k), Fairwater Library (£251k), Canton Library (£9). We have further invested £888,000 in RadioFrequency Identification (RFID) for our libraries and £70,000 to replace and upgrade computer facilities. But we will not step for the next administration and will seek to increase library provision.

Great cities deserve great festivals and that is why we have been supporting the St. David’s Day Parade in the city.

With such a large Welsh diaspora around the world we believe that St. David’s day can become a truly international celebration, but for that to happen we must take the lead in Wales’s capital city. That is why we have now invested £100,000 for the new St. David’s Day Festival. We will give staff a full day’s holiday for St. David’s Day and encourage all major employers to do the same. We will also liaise with schools and trade unions to ensure that school children in Cardiff are able to take part in the event.

But we have gone further by also providing £20,000 to the Tafwyl Festival that takes place during a week in July. The festival hosts a wide range of activities for adults and children including art, music, cookery and comedy to promote and encourage the use of the Welsh language in the city.

Our city, our home We want people to be proud to call Cardiff their home and that means providing high quality homes for the people of Cardiff to live in. When we came into government in Cardiff almost 4 years ago we inherited a large waiting list for housing after decades 12

has already been presented in 2011 to a life-long disabilities campaigner.

of inaction from previous administrations. That is why we have announced the city’s largest house building scheme for 3 decades. This scheme will see nearly 1,000 homes built over the next 5 years and we are pleased to say that 40% of these houses will be affordable. It will also create around 250 local jobs and we will push for apprenticeships to also be offered.

Our Pledges// Good Neighbour SchemeUnfortunately too many people in Cardiff suffer from anti-social behaviour. It can sometimes be the case that just one individual’s behaviour can blight the lives of a whole street. That is why we are proposing a Good Neighbour Scheme that residents will be expected to live up to.

Capital of leisure Keeping fit and leisure activities are a key part of our vision for Cardiff. Again we inherited facilities that were badly in need of upgrade after decades of neglect by previous administrations.

We believe the people of Cardiff deserve modern leisure facilities and that is why we have invested millions upgrading or building new leisure facilities. These investments have included £8.5 million on the Cardiff International Sports Stadium, £6.8 million on Western Leisure Centre, £1.2 million on Maindy Centre, £1.5 million on the STAR Centre refurbishment and a £845,000 refurbishment of the Insole Court.

Help for first time buyers- We understand that in the current economic climate it very difficult to secure a mortgage to get onto the property ladder. We want people to call Cardiff their home but that is very difficult if banks are unwilling to lend to people to buy their first home. That is why Plaid Councillors have proposed and had accepted a scheme that will allow first time buyers to access a 95% loan for a mortgage. The Local Authority Mortgage Scheme will mean the Council a financial guarantee for the loans for the first five years and will be administered by the lender, not the Council. All loans will also be subject to thorough and full financial checks.

Recognising our unsung heroes Across Cardiff there are people who are making a huge difference to people’s lives and their community but often not getting the enormous credit that they deserve. That is why Plaid Cymru councillors initiated the Owain Glyndwr Seren Awards. This award will recognise those people who have made an extraordinary contribution to their community and the first award

We will also form an arm’s length company to train apprentices and develop brown field spaces and houses in poor condition with a view to providing suitable housing and a revenue stream for the Council.

We will further approach the Welsh Government for powers to embark 13

upon a buy back scheme to help former council tenants who are having difficulties repaying their mortgages.

maintain a police presence, but still cut costs.

We will also providing funding to police to put an end to the motorcycle annoyance that too many people in Cardiff have to put up with.

Further leisure improvementsWe have already set the wheels in motion for a £6.2 redevelopment of Eastern Leisure Centre between 2012 and 2014 and we have committed a further £600,000 for other leisure improvements over this period. We will also push for further uptake of the ‘Active Card’ to give resident access to modern and diverse leisure facilities during the next council term.

Apprenticeships in Social WorkWe recognise the value that Social Workers play in the community in Cardiff, which is why we are pledging to provide apprenticeships to people studying Social Work in the city. Both the apprentices and the city will benefit from this arrangement, which will involve them signing a contract to work for the authority whilst they are studying.

We are very proud of the progress that Cardiff City FC has made, both on and off the field. We pledge to work with the club to see it achieve its maximum potential.

We also pledge to work with the major players in both amateur and professional boxing to build on the City’s success in this area recently.

Policing We are very pleased to announce that through our work with South Wales Police crime in south Wales is now at a 25 year low. We believe policing is a partnership and that communities should be involved in policing their streets, which is why we will work with the South Wales Police to produce a refreshed PACT protocol, facilitating closer working and information exchange.

Where police stations are scheduled to close, we will look closely how premises could be shared between the Council and the Police in order to 14

have made us an official Sustainable Travel City. At the street level this means bus improvements in the city centre, increased pedestrianisation, new cycle paths, linking the International Sports Village to Penarth with the Pont y Werin Bridge and a new Park & Ride/Park & Share scheme to reduce congestion and emissions in the city.

Environment// There is now no escaping the fact that climate change is happening and that it represents a serious challenge to the way we currently live our lives. But although climate change represents a challenge to us in Cardiff it also presents us with many opportunities to change the way we live for the better.

Adapting to the realities of climate change means living in a cleaner, greener and more sustainable city, with the possibility for high valueadded jobs in the green sector.

Green Investment We drew on the Salix loans fund (a special loan to pay for environmental improvements) to install Combined Heat and Power units at our leisure centres, and also paid for carbon reduction measures across the school estate. These measures put money into the local economy and reduce carbon emissions in the long-term, and represent £2.5million of investment.

Our Record// Sustainable Cardiff The Sustainable Cardiff brand has been at the heart of the council’s work in recent years. It includes action on promoting fair trade products, developing the Carbon Lite Action Plan to reduce the council’s emissions, and achieving and maintaining our Green Dragon Environmental Standard.

2 wheels are better than 4 We want to see more and more people taking to their bikes in the city because cycling has so many clear benefits. It keeps people fit, it reduces congestion, it keeps the city’s air cleaner and it helps fight climate change. But we know that people will only take to their cycles if it is safe and if it is easy. These are the reasons why we have given such a priority to cycling during our time in government in Cardiff and it is why we have worked with partner organisations to double not only spending on cycling in the city but also to double the available cycle lanes in the city.

Recycling rates to be proud of Cardiff has successfully increased its recycling rate to 53%. This is a major achievement given that under Labour, recycling was at just 11%. This change has been brought about by Plaid introducing weekly recycling and encouraging Tidy Text reminders to make recycling easier than ever for Cardiff residents.

Sustainable Travel Plaid Cymru secured £21m from the previous Welsh Government to pay for all the improvements in Cardiff that 15

local food producers on a commercial basis.

Our Pledges// Litter Police- It is unfortunate that in spite of us having invested in new bins in the city there are still many people who think it is acceptable to drop their litter in our streets. This has meant that litter in Cardiff is becoming a serious issue and we feel the council must be much firmer to tackle it. We are now proposing that Litter Police are introduced to the city to fine those who feel it is acceptable to litter our city. This will be combined with school and university initiatives to discourage littering.

Roll out the Sustainable Travel City- We will develop innovative workplace, school and residential Personal Travel Plans, increase Car Club provision, improve the Bike Share Scheme and also promote car sharing schemes as part of the development of the Sustainable Travel City concept.

More Cycling Investment- Having already doubled spending on cycle paths, we will aim to increase this investment even further in order to keep up with growing demand, and also to meet any new obligations arising from the Welsh Government’s future cycling legislation. After the successful Oy Bike Plaid Pilot, we will work with the Welsh Government to introduce an expanded cycle hire scheme, similar to that in London. In order to make it cost effective, we will push the Welsh Government to roll the scheme out in other areas of Wales.

Street Cleansing Hotline- All residents have a right to clean community environment. Council staff try their hardest to keep our streets clean but we need a rapid response hotline that can get trouble spots and blocked drains cleaned up in a short period of time. A Street Cleansing Hotline would tell residents when to expect the next programmed street clean, as well as being able to quickly respond to the worst cases and issues such as fly tipping.

Local Allotments Review- We are very pleased to say that many people in the city are embracing the ‘grow your own’ culture but that for many people waiting for an allotment can be a long process. We will carry out a city-wide review to identify new allotment land and explore grow your own schemes.

The city needs new allotment land to reduce the allotment waiting lists and to encourage the production of local food. We will also work with the Riverside Market to provide support to

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