A Crewe-focussed political party has launched its manifesto for the town as local election campaigning begins in earnest.
Ahead of this May’s ballot, Crewe First has positioned itself as one of only two parties to have a candidate standing for every available seat in Crewe, across both the borough council and town council.
This means the party has 30 candidates, and they say they’ve decided to stand because they feel Labour’s period of controlling the local authorities has been a disaster for the town.
Crewe First is described as not having a political leaning, but as a group of independents who are concerned about the town.
A spokesperson for the party said they feel Crewe is currently in a deplorable state and they feel the present Labour councillors aren’t doing enough about it.
They said: “The people of Crewe need to vote to take back control of their town.
“The elections are only every four years so it is sort of now or never.”
They added: “Crewe First are not political, not left or right, just a group of independents – local people who are concerned about the appalling state of the town.
“Please give us a chance to improve things by voting for us on May 4th. Let’s return Crewe to its former glory. Let’s make Crewe great again.”
Crewe First has outlined 14 areas to focus on if they win in May:
(1) No real council tax increases and eliminate waste.
(2) Town council to take over car parks and abolish car park charges.
(3) Revive Crewe town centre. No more broken promises.
(4) Out of town shopping has destroyed the town centre. We would severely restrict any future planning permissions for shopping outside the town centre.
(5) We will seek to ensure that every Crewe child attends a school classed as ‘good’ by Ofsted. Too many of the schools in Crewe are not classed as ‘good’ by Ofsted. Our children only have one chance of an education. Let’s make it a good one for all and let’s improve educational standards.
(6) Encourage businesses to set up in Crewe to provide much needed, well-paid jobs.
(7) Restore the very many damaged grass verges and protect them – or turn them into hard standing to provide more off street parking. Residents will be allowed to choose what they want.
(8) Maintain our streets and footpaths and ensure that potholes are repaired speedily.
(9) Keep the town clean and tidy and eliminate the ‘grot spots’ and eyesores.
(10) Ensure that Crewe residents are given priority in the allocation of rented social housing.
(11) Council services should be maintained and, where possible, improved. No more of Labour’s cuts to services.
(12) No Oxford-like 15-minute zones in Crewe. We believe in freedom of movement.
(13) Stop Crewe being used as the ‘dumping ground’ of Cheshire East.
(14) No more asylum seekers in Crewe. We have had enough.
