County Council Elections 2009

County Council Elections 2009

Buckinghamshire CountyLabour Party

Election Manifesto

An Equal, Inclusive Society

Labour believes everyone is of equal worth and entitled to respect. Our vision

is of an equal, inclusive society where there is opportunity for every citizen

regardless of gender, disability, sexual orientation, age, race, religion or belief.

Labour is the party of equality. From challenging disability discrimination, to

tackling the pay gap and racism and introducing the Human Rights Act,

Labour has been at the forefront of change. We have done more than any

government in history to support opportunity for all. We are proud of our

record, but we recognise that there is more to do to attack prejudice and

ensure that every one of our citizens is treated equally.

Key achievements

· Introduced the National Minimum Wage – two thirds of the

beneficiaries are women and it has played a part in narrowing the pay gap.

* Established the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to act

as a strong, independent champion to tackle discrimination and

promote equality for all.

· Significantly extended legislation to improve protection against

disability discrimination in employment, and to improve access for

disabled people to goods, services, facilities and premises.

· Widened and strengthened the Race Relations Act to include a positive

duty on public bodies to promote good race relations and legislated for

aggravated sentences for racially motivated crimes.

· Through the introduction of civil partnerships, Labour has for the first

time given legal recognition to same-sex partners. Gay couples now

have the same inheritance, pension and next-of-kin rights as married couples.

Winning the fight for Britain's future:

· We are committed to delivering a cultural change to ensure equality for

all; including continued action to tackle the gender pay and

opportunities gap and reducing the chances of being out of work if you

are disabled or from an ethnic minority background.

· A new Equality Act will promote fairness and equality of opportunity;

tackle disadvantage and discrimination; and modernise and strengthen

our law to make it fit for the challenges that our society faces today and

in the future.

· Defend and enhance human rights: ensure that our common sense

human rights legislation is properly understood and applied; combat

myths and misreporting of the Human Rights Act; and consider further

steps including a British Bill of Rights and Duties and a written

constitution.

· Work through the Office for Disability Issues, established by Labour, to

ensure cross Government action to achieve substantive equality for

disabled people by 2025.

· Empowering black and ethnic minority women to build cohesion within

their communities and as a bridge between communities.

Bucks Labour, through its elected councillors, will strive to ensure that the

citizens of Buckinghamshire reap the full benefit of these national initiatives.

Tories in Bucks have been obstructive and uncooperative in the

implementation of Labour’s policies and when compelled to carry them out

have only sought to take credit for themselves.

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Town is set against country, Aylesbury against Wycombe and County against District in their unequal distribution of public services.

Labour believes it is vitally important for the County Council to work positively with the District Councils and all the Town and Parish Councils to ensure the fair delivery of our services to our residents. The ‘Pathfinder Initiative’, a partnership of County and District Councils set up by the Tories to supposedly save money, is floundering because ToryCounty and Tory District Councils cannot work together.

This Manifesto sets out Bucks Labour’s priorities for the next four years for its CountyCouncillors in office. It cannot be an exhaustive list of everything to be done but some of the most important issues are presented.

Economy

The Labour Government’s prompt actions will minimise the effects of the

worldwide economic downturn on our residents. Nevertheless it will affect

everyone and every organisation - Bucks County Council will be no exception.

It is essential that front line services are not cut to balance the books.

This means ensuring services provided by County Council:

· protect the elderly, the young, and the deprived in our communities

from the effects of the economic downturn

· ensure mortgage support for newly unemployed and similar families

· assist small and medium businesses with their cash flows

· ensure provision of debt counselling wherever and to whoever may need them

· co-ordinate with Government and other organisations providing help and

advice in respect of the above aims

· enable the provision of affordable, energy-efficient homes to buy and to let

for thousands who are currently homeless or living with relatives.

Elected Labour councillors will provide the extra help and assistance required

by Bucks residents and workers as a result of these exceptional

circumstances.

In order to avoid the worst effects of the international financial crisis it is

essential that Bucks County Council fully co-operates with the Labour

Government’s economic initiatives. Labour Councillors will work to ensure

that this happens.

Equal Chances for All in Bucks Schools

The Labour government has brought the first investment for many years into

Buckinghamshire's school buildings, long neglected by the Tory council. New

secondary schools in High Wycombe and in Aylesbury will improve the

chances of young people and provide much needed facilities for local families.

Directly funded by a Labour government, £31m will be spent rebuilding

CressexSecondary school. Millions more will pour into QuarrendonSchool’s

transformation into the AylesburyValeAcademy.

National Challenge funding, also coming directly from the Labour government,

targets young people who could achieve higher standards to gain employment

or enter higher education. Tory Bucks boasts about its high standards - but it

is in the bottom 15% of Local Authorities nationally, for ' adding value' to the

students who enter its schools. Bucks fails those children who most need a

good education and all of us will pay the price in the future for the

Conservatives’ failures.

Bucks Labour Party is committed to ending the inequality that flourishes in

local schools. Local Tory politicians have openly said that in Bucks access to

high-achieving schools depends on how well off your parents are. We will

campaign to ensure that all children have access to a good school - not just

those whose parents can afford extra tutoring.

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The Labour Party is committed to giving opportunities to all young people to

ensure well-educated, well-skilled future generations that will secure local

prosperity for years to come.

Children and Families

The Labour Government has transformed opportunities with tax credits and

guaranteed nursery places for all 3-year-olds. With Sure Start Centres in

most areas, truly joined-up services can now be provided. In some areas

these Centres have opened where the Tories had previously closed family

centres in spite of local need and in the face of local opposition. Labour

councillors will give Sure Start Centres the strong support they need to build

up reliable contacts with the families who use them.

Bucks County Council has a massive responsibility in this area, with the

opportunity to make a real difference. The Tories have had poor ratings in

inspections over many years, both for disadvantaged children and for Youth

Services.

Labour would put real resources into recruitment, training and retention of

qualified social workers and youth workers. This is what will make the

difference in joining up services for those who need them most and keeping

our young people safe. For too long the Tories have blamed their failures on

staff vacancies. This is not good enough and can only leave our communities

at risk of a “Victoria Climbié” or “Baby P” at any time.

Support for Older People

The Labour Government has instituted many policies designed to help older

people. The winter fuel allowance, Christmas grants, tax credits and the

inflation-linked pension have all brought substantial improvements for

pensioners. Security in old age is a key Labour objective.

Locally Labour Party members have viewed, often with alarm, the contrasting

attitude of Bucks County Council. They have failed to meet the challenge and

seem unaware of their important role in providing for the needs of an aging

population.

Labour will introduce a fair system for assessing need; too many people have

been denied care when timely intervention could have made all the difference

to their quality of life. We will urgently review patterns of care and work

towards a radical overall of care services in Bucks.

Labour recognises the outstanding contribution that family and friends make

to care needs within the County. It is estimated that there are 40,000 carers

in Bucks. For many it is a continuing struggle and we want to do whatever is

possible to help. The Government now provides the County with increased

funding for this work; we will make sure that it used in a way that provides

help where it is needed.

Health

Since 1997 a Labour government has transformed NHS performance with the

result that waiting times are lower than ever and standards of care are better

than ever.

· Waiting lists are down by 614,000 since 1997. Most patients are now

waiting less than 13 weeks, and by the end of this year nobody will

wait more than 18 weeks for treatment.

· Over 99% of suspected cancer patients are seen by a specialist

within two weeks of being referred by their GP, and over 99% of

cancer patients start their treatment within a month of diagnosis.

· Over 38,000 more doctors and 80,000 more nurses since Labour

came to power.

· Investment in the NHS has trebled since 1997.

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· Labour has built over 90 new NHS walk-in centres and over 650 onestop

primary care centres, and is investing £750 million in a new

generation of modern, convenient community hospitals.

· Cancer mortality rates in under-75s have decreased by 17.1 per cent

since 1996, saving nearly 9,000 lives in 2006 compared to 1996. We

are saving 31,000 lives from cardiovascular diseases every year

compared to 1996.

Alongside all this, the Labour government strives to reduce the inequalities in

health that too often accompany social inequality. Bucks County Council’s

role in shaping local healthcare through its Scrutiny Committee has been

lackadaisical and has failed to implement the spirit of these goals. It has been

out of touch and ineffectual with the result that the views of local people have

not been heard. Labour councillors will fight to ensure that the voices of local

people are heard and the results of consultation influence the provision of all

health services to allow the maximum health benefits to those in greatest

need.

Community Cohesion

We will work towards a just, fair and equitable society that will enhance the

quality of life for all citizens of Buckinghamshire. To achieve this objective we will work with and support voluntary organisations that already have contact

with ethnic, disabled and traveller communities.

Labour will enable full implementation of Race Relation and Equality

legislation so that racism, oppression and discrimination are identified and

dealt with. We will raise awareness of the problem through education and

training to achieve community cohesion.

Labour councillors are committed to ensure that the diversity of the residents

of Buckinghamshire is maintained and that equal opportunities are available

to access all community activities and that this is relevant and meaningful to

all.

Through the County Council’s role as a provider of education and social

services, Labour councillors will work towards an environment where each

person is able to develop their full potential regardless of gender, race, age,

disability or religion.

Transport and the Environment

Under the Tories Bucks County Council has failed to use its powers to

promote public transport integration. Labour will push to use these powers to

make public transport easier and safer to use and work to improve transport

links within the ThamesValley area. We will give greater emphasis to rail,

bus and cycle users in local transport planning.

We will work with our partners to extend free travel for older people, on buses

as well as by rail, and encourage the development of safe cycling and walking

routes in towns and villages.

Until now Bucks has failed to integrate sustainability into its own development

projects. Labour will encourage working with energy conservation bodies to

measure energy use and carbon dioxide production in its buildings and other

facilities.

Bucks Labour is committed to encourage recycling through schools and will

work with all agencies involved to promote the careful use of our resources to

ensure where possible the choices that we make will have the least impact on

the environment.

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Providing a Platform for Young Leaders

The Labour Party believes strongly that as well as being part of our future,

young people should be at the heart of our decision making. Unfortunately it

has been found that people under 30 are less likely to vote in elections than

their older counterparts.

We are the only party committed to providing a platform to young leaders to

help change our society. We understand that young people are vital in

shaping a community that lives together in tolerance and works together in

partnership and co-operation.

Too many young people do not vote in elections as they do not see the

relevance to them and, consequently, issues that they are passionate about

do not get addressed. The Labour Party will ensure that their issues are not

only heard but also acted upon.

Our elected councillors will commit to holding regular open forums where

young people can come and speak directly to their elected representatives, to

ensure their agenda is acted upon. We will also provide support and

guidance for those young people ambitious to take up leadership positions in

their local community.

Bucks Labour is made up of the five Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) of:

Aylesbury : Beaconsfield : Buckingham : Chesham & Amersham : Wycombe

We can be contacted through the CountyParty Secretary:

Ted Collins

19 Sunnybank

Marlow

Bucks

SL7 3BL

Tel: 01628 484160

e-mail:

Visit us online at: