Cheshire West Labour have launched their May 2023 local election manifesto by setting out four missions for the borough.
These include making sure help is available for people when they need it, ensuring opportunities exist to learn and work, bringing about pride in the places locals care about, and a focus on environmental matters.
Council leader, Cllr Louise Gittins said: “There are three things voters need to remember when they cast their vote in May.
“The first is that the Conservatives have cut over half a billion pounds from your council services since 2010.
“Secondly every Tory chancellor has told councils to raise council tax to plug the gap caused by these cuts.
“And finally, this has led to tough choices, which means every council in the country is now charging for things they didn’t used to charge for.”
She added: “The local Conservatives will run a really negative campaign, blaming everyone but themselves for the state of our nation.
“The truth is that we are all paying the price for the Conservative government’s political choices.
“Their legacy is rising inflation and a cost-of-living crisis which has resulted in record levels of poverty and inequality.
“They have crashed our economy, they have decimated our NHS, and they have brought public services to the brink of collapse.”
She continued: “The Tories might have broken Britain, but we will not let them break Cheshire West.
“That’s why we enter into this election with an ambitious message of hope. Under my leadership, Labour is on a mission for a fairer future.
“That’s why a vote for Labour is a vote for hope on Thursday 4th May.”
The Labour Party says it has always balanced the council’s annual budget and the accounts have had a clean bill of health from independent auditors every year since 2015.
They say their local election manifesto sets out a vision for hope which focuses on four local missions to make Cheshire West the best place in the UK to live, work, learn, visit and run a business.
Unveiling the four missions, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “After 13 long years of Conservative governments, it’s Labour councils that have held the line in our communities and kept vital services running despite over a decade of cuts.
“Voters in Cheshire West have a clear choice on the 4th May, they can vote for hope under Labour, or face squandered opportunities and decline under the local Conservatives.”
The council’s deputy leader, Cllr Karen Shore said the Labour Party had shielded local services such as libraries, children’s centres, swimming pools and museums.
She said: “We have kept facilities open, we have invested in town centres and we have created jobs and opportunities.
“We continue to provide quality social care despite government cuts, and we are still investing in our parks and green spaces.
“We are taking action to tackle poverty, to combat climate change, and we will always keep fighting for the things that matter to you.
“That’s the difference a Labour council makes.”
Labour’s four missions are:
- Help and support available when you need it
- Quality social care, with people living longer, healthier and happier lives
- Best start in life for children
- Tackling poverty, including homelessness
- Good mental health
- Opportunities to work, learn and succeed where you live
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- High quality education, skills training and careers advice
- An economy that works for everyone with good jobs and decent wages
- The best place in the UK to start and grow a business
- Good quality homes for local people to buy or rent
- Pride in our town centre and local neighbourhoods
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- Make town centres and high streets places where people want to live, work, visit and own businesses
- Innovation in making roads better, streets cleaner, and neighbourhoods safer and greener
- Tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in partnership with the Police
- Cherish libraries, community centres and leisure facilities
- Invest in parks, play areas, sports fields and green space so there is something for everyone near to
where they live
- Environmental protection for future generations
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- Create the best waste collection and recycling service in the country
- Support local renewable energy projects to increase energy security
- Retrofit homes to reduce energy bills and energy consumption
- Large scale de-carbonisation of industry and transportation
- Greater protection for animals, wildlife and green spaces
Residents can find out more about their Labour candidates in their area and read the manifesto in full at: www.cheshirewestlabour.com