UNITING OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT MATTERS · communities because it matters. conservative...

A RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT,A PROMISE OF MORE

The Conservative Manifesto for the Staffordshire County Councilelections on 2 May 2013

StaffordshireConservatives

UNITING OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT MATTERS

CONSERVATIVE MANIFESTO 2013

2 ... because it matters to the people of Staffordshire

CONTENTSA PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE CONSERVATIVE GROUP LEADER 3

OUR PRIORITIES 4

THE CHALLENGES AHEAD 5

BRINGING NEW JOBS, APPRENTICESHIPS AND INVESTMENTTO STAFFORDSHIRE 6

PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES 7

PROTECTING OUR ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE RESIDENTS 8

KEEPING STAFFORDSHIRE MOVING SAFELY 9

ENSURING PEOPLE FEEL SAFE AT HOME, WORK AND THE COMMUNITY 10

PRIDE IN STAFFORDSHIRE AND SUPPORT FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES 11

KEEPING COUNCIL TAX LOW 12

For more information about the policies contained in this manifesto, please contact us:Philip Atkins, Conservative Group Leader32 Blythe Park, Cresswell, Staffordshire ST11 9RDPhone no 01889 590922Mobile no 07973 820345Email [email protected]

Promoted by Philip Atkins on behalf of Staffordshire Conservatives, both of 32 Blythe Park, Cresswell, Staffordshire ST11 9RD. Printed by CCHQ Midlands, Coleshill Manor Campus, Birmingham Road, Coleshill, Warwickshire B46 1DL.

... because it matters to the people of Staffordshire 3


A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE CONSERVATIVE GROUP LEADER

Dear Resident,

This year’s county council election is one of the most

important you’ll ever vote in. In this manifesto, we set

out your Conservative County Council’s achievements

over the past four years and our ambitions for the future.

When we were elected in 2009 Staffordshire Conservatives had just four years

to prove we could make a positive difference to our county following 28 years of

Labour control. Staffordshire was widely known as a “coasting council”, drifting

aimlessly into serious diffi culties, and we were facing some of the toughest peace

time challenges the public sector has ever faced.

These tough times called for decisive leadership, bold thinking and the courage to

act in the best interests of the people of Staffordshire. We took on that challenge,

looking for new and innovative ways to work to deliver value for money and

excellent services for the people of Staffordshire.

In four years, we’ve turned things around, created jobs across the county and

brought new investment to Staffordshire. We’ve frozen council tax for three years

running which leaves more money in your pocket and means Staffordshire has the

lowest county council tax in the country. We’re still delivering valued services

and our transformation programme is on track to save £133m.

For the future we face three key challenges across Staffordshire: creating more

jobs and stimulating economic growth, ensuring our organisations are as effi cient,

innovative and effective as possible, and working together across the public and

private sectors to combine knowledge, expertise and fi nancial power to make a

real difference in our communities.

Working with you to improve our county is fundamental to our job. There is

work going on in every Staffordshire community to improve public health, reduce

crime, invest in local projects and give our children the best possible start in life.

By voting Conservative on Thursday 2 May you will ensure this work continues

and help us secure the future for the people of Staffordshire.

PHILIP ATKINSLEADER, STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL



OUR PRIORITIES

■ Low taxation coupled with better services ■ Developing the local economy for the benefit of all ■ Helping people live healthy and independent lives ■ Supporting and protecting vulnerable people ■ Enabling our children to reach their full potential ■ Focusing on localism, value for money and real outcomes ■ Empowering people through freedom, independence, choice and opportunity

WE WILL ACHIEVE THIS BY

■ Keeping council tax to a minimum ■ Ensuring the council is well run, efficient and innovative ■ Investing in our economy so it thrives with the right sites and skills ■ Looking after people in our care ■ Ensuring vital services keep on working ■ Working with private and public partners ■ Encouraging our communities and neighbourhoods to be strong ■ Giving people the chance to turn their aspirations into reality


conservative manifesto 2013

THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

Staffordshire faces many challenges for the future and local Conservatives are focused on providing the best services and value for money to residents. Here’s how we’re tackling these challenges:

■ Continuing our transformation in local government, making it fully responsive and accountable to the needs of Staffordshire’s local communities and helping residents and businesses to get on in life.

■ Encouraging schools, colleges and universities to form closer links with industry and commerce through the Staffordshire Education Trust, to ensure our children and young people get the best start in life so they can make a positive contribution to their communities.

■ The number of residents aged 80+ is set to increase by 100% over the next 20 years, placing a financial burden on the council and personal burden on those who become carers, which must be met through opportunities, community help and new technology.

■ Vulnerable children and adults need special care and help to live in the community, and their families need support and guidance as well.

■ Providing access to high speed broadband for all residents, with the county currently on track to provide access for 90% of homes and businesses in Staffordshire by 2015.

■ Broker a deal with Government to bring 30,000 new private sector jobs to Staffordshire over the next 10 years, investing £250m to fast track growth and employment and growing our GDP by 50%.

■ Save the council from incurring landfill tax charges with the new Waste to Resource Plant in the south of the County which will benefit the taxpayer when it comes on stream.

■ Create fresh opportunities to work with business and public partners inside and outside the county through Local Enterprise Partnerships.

■ Using new powers in public health which will give local government opportunities to protect and improve the quality of health outcomes in Staffordshire.

■ Taking a tough stance on the scale of quarrying, wind farms and other ugly and intrusive development in Staffordshire to protect our outstanding landscapes and architectural landmarks which cannot be compromised by large scale wind energy developments or quarrying.



BRINGING NEW JOBS, APPRENTICESHIPS AND INVESTMENT TO STAFFORDSHIRE

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THECONSERVATIVE COUNCILWe have:

■ Submitted a bid for extra government funding to build more enterprise zones, upgrade road and rail links, improve education and training and potentially create 30,000 new private sector jobs.

■ Invested £30m in capital projects in the last six months to invigorate our economy. ■ Won two of the fi ve West Midlands bids for Regional Growth Fund investment. ■ Invested at i54 in South Staffordshire, which has seen companies such as JLR investing £355m

in a new engine plant with 1,450 direct jobs and potential for thousands more. ■ Allocated £2m to the Staffordshire Business Loans Support Fund, helping more than 70 small

businesses, saving over 300 jobs and creating 120 new jobs over the last three years. ■ Worked with partners to create new apprenticeships, resulting in a 48% increase since 2009. ■ Provided over 400 apprenticeship places within the county council alone in the last four years. ■ Supported the rural economy with a new Rural Enterprise Academy. ■ Invested £7m towards high speed broadband, levering in £100m. ■ Offered small businesses and entrepreneurs a chance to get started through Enterprise Centres.

OUR PROMISE TO YOUWe will:

■ Continue to build on the success of the Staffordshire Business Loan Fund to provide much needed capital to well-run small businesses.

■ Encourage young people to take up apprenticeships by working with businesses, colleges and academies to deliver quality placements.

■ Help provide fi nance as part of a Young People Business Start Up programme. ■ Secure further investment to build the infrastructure required for high speed broadband. ■ Encourage courses that are skill-oriented as well as qualifi cation-based. ■ Work with all of Staffordshire’s boroughs and districts to ensure our towns have master plans to

deliver the way forward over the next 10 years.

zones, upgrade road and rail links, improve education and training and Submitted a bid for extra government funding to build more enterprise zones, upgrade road and rail links, improve education and training and Submitted a bid for extra government funding to build more enterprise zones, upgrade road and rail links, improve education and training and

Conservatives have worked hard to bring jobs to Staffordshire and keep our economy growing. Major employers and venues including JCB, Alstom, JLR, Pirelli, Britannia/Co-op Banking, Caterpillar, Alton Towers, Drayton Manor Park,National Memorial Arboretum and St George’s Park call Staffordshire home. Our efforts to make Staffordshire business-friendly and the best place to invest have made us the top performing place in the UK for job creation.



PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES


■ Worked with business to set up the Landau Forte Academy in Tamworth, the JCB Academy and the Rural Enterprise Academy.

■ Created a partnership with Entrust in Education Support Services to focus on more opportunities for young people.

■ Invested in new schools to be built across the county. ■ Lobbied the government for funding for small and rural schools. ■ Increased support to help children in early years at school. ■ Created more opportunities to learn new skills and confi dence alongside experienced craftsmen

by increasing the number of apprenticeships.


■ Encourage schools and colleges to form closer links with industry and commerce through the Staffordshire Education Trust.

■ Invest to help raise attainment in core subjects of English, Maths, Science and Languages. ■ Support the introduction of new free schools and academies across the county and the

opportunities they offer. ■ Build more new specialist schools with our new Education Support Services partners to offer

more opportunities. ■ Encourage employers to provide more work experience places so students can gain a better

understanding of career choices. ■ Provide more information on school and college performance to help students and parents

choose the best post-16 learning opportunities. ■ Encourage people aged 24+ to apply for Advanced Learning Loans to help them study at Level

3 or above for courses.

Worked with business to set up the Landau Forte Academy in Tamworth, Worked with business to set up the Landau Forte Academy in Tamworth,

Conservatives believe that schools run schools best. We must free our schools from needless bureaucracy and form fi lling to focus on education. We will leave teachers to teach, head teachers to lead and parents to choose the best school for their child.




■ Increased adult social care funding to £18m. ■ Created the largest integrated NHS trust, saving £30m to reinvest in the

increased demand for care in our communities. ■ Taken an integrated approach to childrens’ services with Families First, a dedicated family

support service. ■ Worked with borough and district colleagues as well as the voluntary sector to deliver social

care and avoid duplication of services. ■ Invested in preventative measures and promoted healthy lifestyles, encouraging the use of new

services and technology. ■ Delivered more care for the same money with Staffordshire Cares, Purple Pages and the multi-

agency safeguarding hub.


■ Continue to work with registered social landlords and borough and district councils to support those in need and help the most disadvantaged back into society.

■ Invest £100m to tackle dementia and work with partners to provide the highest level of dementia care.

■ Set up Independent Futures to provide better support for both children and adults with disabilities.

■ Introduce a new highly intensive service for families in crisis, designed to tackle the most serious cases of family breakdown

■ Continue to support fostering and adoption across the county. ■ Support Engaging Communities Staffordshire to deliver a dynamic and effective Health Watch

and involve patients in healthcare provision. ■ Investigate options for care workers to receive training in their job and a proper career structure.

Created the largest integrated NHS trust, saving £30m to reinvest in the Created the largest integrated NHS trust, saving £30m to reinvest in the Created the largest integrated NHS trust, saving £30m to reinvest in the

PROTECTING OUR ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE RESIDENTSConservatives believe we all have a role to play in protecting the most vulnerable in our community. We want to ensure that residents and families who need care and support are able to get it in a way that is personal to them, and help in supporting an independent, active and enjoyable life. Good quality care and support are essential forindependence and wellbeing.




■ Invested £50m in highways infrastructure improvement in the last four years and got our roads back to average condition.

■ Introduced 20mph school speed zones outside many schools. ■ Prioritised winter highway maintenance - over 43% of the county road network is routinely

gritted. ■ Used the Neighbourhood Community Gangs to help repair our crumbling street scene and

“Make Staffordshire Shine Again”. ■ Helped elderly residents get around with 24/7 concessionary travel. ■ Enabled young people to get around the county for just £1 per journey with the “Your

Staffordshire” card.


■ Invest a further £5m per year for three years to target the repairs backlog on rural roads and class C and D roads in urban areas.

■ Tackle potholes and repairs with a “Quicker & Right First Time” policy, so that all pothole defects are attended to within seven days and 90% with permanent fi rst time repairs

■ Aim to introduce travel discounts for all Staffordshire residents through an Oyster-type travel card.

■ Extend the 20mph school speed zones programme to include locally determined schools of particular concern.

■ Introduce 30mph village/community speed limits where requested by parish councils or communities to ensure local road safety.

■ Support ways of moving freight from unsuitable roads and neighbourhoods. ■ Create new partnerships to provide better bus services in both urban and rural areas. ■ Roll out demand-led bus services in rural areas, extending the current “Dial A Ride” bus

operation. ■ Review all speed camera sites and assess their impact on safety, redirecting funding towards

fl ashing speed signs in hot spots. ■ Support the provision of more Park and Ride/Rail/Walk schemes where appropriate.

Invested £50m in highways infrastructure improvement in the last four Invested £50m in highways infrastructure improvement in the last four

KEEPING STAFFORDSHIREMOVING SAFELYConservatives believe effective transport is crucial to a thriving economy and a stable and coherent society. Ourpriority is a transport policy that facilitates mobility, gives choice to consumers, fosters competition and safeguards the interests of vulnerable people and remote communities. We have invested across Staffordshire to ensure we have a transport system that is safe and works.




■ Introduced 20mph zones outside schools. ■ Invested in detection equipment to identify travelling criminals and

uninsured and non-taxed cars to keep people safe. ■ Supported community safety partnerships across the county to keep local crime and anti-social

behaviour low. ■ Worked with the Police & Crime Commissioner and borough and district councils to promote

community safety. ■ Started trialling a forensic marking programme. ■ Launched a “no cold calling” campaign to help tackle criminals targetting elderly and vulnerable

people.


■ Make Staffordshire a no-go area for criminals on the move through use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition.

■ Continue to roll out a programme of property marking across the county. ■ Invest in a campaign to tackle door-to-door sales people who target the elderly and vulnerable

and sales of alcohol and knives to young people. ■ Work with partners to provide alcohol centres for advice on early signs of addiction. ■ Invest in professional support and help for victims of domestic violence and work with partners

to address the causes. ■ Continue to support the Staffordshire Combined Fire and Rescue Authority to fi ght fi res and

reduce fi re risk across the county.

Invested in detection equipment to identify travelling criminals and Invested in detection equipment to identify travelling criminals and Invested in detection equipment to identify travelling criminals and

ENSURING PEOPLE FEEL SAFE AT HOME, AT WORK AND IN THE COMMUNITYConservatives understand that the people of Staffordshire want to feel safe. There can be no half-heartedness and no opting out in the fi ght against crime and anti-social behaviour, and no tolerance at any level. We all share aresponsibility to make our streets and homes safer. We’re working with Staffordshire Police, our borough and district colleagues and local people to keep our county one of the safest in the country.




■ Promoted and supported initiatives, including “Taste of Staffordshire” and “Enjoy Staffordshire” which accompany goods grown or manufactured in the county.

■ Used the Local Community Action fund to support and promote local activities and initiatives across Staffordshire.

■ Developed partnerships to provide services including extended schools, extra care housing, community wardens, rangers and police support offi cers where local people need them.

■ Created the Staffordshire Hundred and Staffordshire Strategic Partnership, providing an opportunity for local people to have a say in developing a safer and stronger community.

■ Introduced the new Start2 service in your library, which helps people seeking work by providing job information, free internet links and friendly professional advice.

■ Kept all libraries open and introduced WiFi for residents’ use. ■ Invested £3m in the National Memorial Arboretum. ■ Formed the Mercian Trail Partnership with organisations and local councils to tell the story of

the Staffordshire Hoard and the Anglo-Saxon history of the region. ■ Encouraged volunteering as an essential part of a successful community.


■ Campaign for more resources from arts funding bodies to support investment in arts and culture

■ Support community led local development, including community right to buy, so that local people can address local challenges with a bottom-up approach.

■ Continue to support the Citizens’ Advice Bureaux to offer advice and counselling on debt. ■ Work with borough and district councils’ leisure services, schools and voluntary youth sector to

develop community spirit among young people. ■ Improve library standards and change opening hours to meet the needs of local communities,

and provide free WiFi, computer use, meeting rooms and quiet spaces for study or remote working.

■ Ensure Staffordshire’s historical treasures are properly preserved and protected, including safeguarding buildings of architectural or historical interest.

“Enjoy Staffordshire” which accompany goods grown or manufactured in the county.Promoted and supported initiatives, including “Taste of Staffordshire” and Promoted and supported initiatives, including “Taste of Staffordshire” and

PRIDE IN STAFFORDSHIRE AND SUPPORT FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES Conservatives are proud of Staffordshire and believe that working together, we can achieve more. We want localpeople to have a say about what’s important to them in their community. Staffordshire is a great place to live and we’re working with residents to make our towns and villages even better.



Staffordshire Conservatives have set the lowest county council tax in the country to save you money.

Conservative Staffordshire County Council have delivered a real terms cut to your council tax this year. We’re committed to protecting essential services whilst keeping council tax as low as possible. We know times are tough and we’ve worked hard to reduce the burden on families and pensioners. You work hard to earn your money – we work hard to help you keep it.

The last time Labour were in charge, they raised council tax year after year. When Conservatives took control of the council in 2009 we found spending out of control and Staffordshire residents were paying for it. In four years we’ve turned things around, improved services and this year we’re delivering a real terms cut in your council tax.

Today, when we’re all trying to fi ght our way out of Labour’s debt and economic downturn, many Staffordshire residents are asking themselves if they can afford an increase in their council tax bill.

At the county council election on Thursday 2 May, there’s a clear choice. Conservatives will work hard to keep our council tax low, show strong leadership in tough times and do what’s right for Staffordshire, not just what’s always popular. Sadly, some other parties will say whatever they think is popular but the end result will amount to either more debt or a higher council tax - or both.

Staffordshire Conservatives are on the side of people who work hard, save and want to get on in life. That’s why we’ve set the lowest county council tax in the country.

ON THE SIDE OF THOSE WHO WORK HARD AND DO THE RIGHT THING:KEEPING COUNCILTAX LOW

COUNTY COUNCIL TAX INCREASES1994-2013

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

6.80

%

2.40

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10.0

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6.38

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4.59

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8.90

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5.9

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14.9

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6.95

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8.90

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6.24

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4.51

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4.00

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4.95

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4.95

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The last time Labour were in charge in

Staffordshire, council tax

bills rocketed. They increased

our council tax year after year, almost

doubling it over 12 years.

CAN WE AFFORD THEM

AGAIN?

2.45

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1.9

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YOUR

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UNITING OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT MATTERS · communities because it matters. conservative...

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