Lib Dems unveil manifesto: A promise for a fair, green and safe Camden

9.44.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 5th Apr 2010

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and Cllr Keith Moffitt at today's launch of the Party's 2010 Camden Manifesto

Camden Liberal Democrats today unveiled a manifesto setting out the Party's agenda for the full Council elections on May 6th. At its heart are six promises that will make Camden fair, green and safe:

• We have frozen council tax and will keep it down in the future.

• We will build at least one new secondary school and a new primary school

• We will invest in more jobs, more cycling and less carbon.

• We promise 1,000 new homes and 7,000 kitchens and bathrooms for tenants.

• We will put more police on your streets.

• We will run a council that is on your side, not on your back.

Fair

It's astonishing that after 13 years of Labour Government the best way to predict how well a child will do in school is to look at their parent's income. It's wrong that the gap between the richest and poorest has widened.

Council tax hits those hardest who can least afford to pay. Our national pledge is to scrap it. In Camden we have frozen it three years out of four and are pledged to keep on keeping it down. In tough times we know that every little makes a difference.

We will make Camden fair by ensuring that every child can get a school place in Camden. We are building new school on Adelaide Road, have secured a site for a school south of the Euston Road and are promising a new primary school where it is needed most. That is linked to a national pledge to reduce class sizes to 15 for our youngest children.

We know that homes affect our health, our wealth, our opportunities for happiness and prosperity. We have demanded the Labour Government release the £283 million it promised for council housing. Five Labour housing ministers have said no. So we have found the funding locally to give our tenants the decent homes that 35 years of Labour rule denied them.

Liberal Democrats are promising to continue the investment in housing - neglected by Labour for so long. We promise 1,000 new affordable homes and to install or repair 7,000 new kitchens and bathrooms for Camden tenants.

Green

We know that tackling climate change is one of our most pressing challenges. Over four years we made Camden one of the most environmentally advanced councils in the country and have signed up to reduce Camden's carbon emissions 10% in 2010.

Our promise is to make city living more sustainable. We will invest in skills and local jobs that last. We will make Camden the cycling capital of London. And we pledge to cut Camden's carbon footprint by 40% BY 2020.

Safe

Crime and the fear of crime are a blight on our communities. In Camden Town and Chalk Farm we invested directly in 18 new Police Community Support Officers - resulting in a big reduction in drug-dealing and related crime.

We will keep Camden safe, by putting more police on our streets. We pledge at least 10 Police constables and 20 community support officers to tackle crime across Camden. Our national pledge is to scrap ID Cards and invest in frontline policing - an extra 3,000 police for London.

Conclusion

With an election date set for 6 May the Party is challenging to take overall control of the Council and win two parliamentary seats with Ed Fordham and Jo Shaw.

Four years have shown the difference that a Liberal Democrat council can make: from refurbishing Kentish Town Baths to a new secondary school at Swiss Cottage. And from freezing Council Tax to abolishing car-clamping across the borough. You have seen a difference.

We know the next four years will be very difficult for our area. We face big government cuts in funding following the financial crisis, the bailing out of the banks and Labour's failed economic policies. In striving to balance the books, we will put the interests of all those who need the Council's services, with priority being given to protecting the most vulnerable.

We are serious about running the Council so we do not make idle, uncosted promises. We know there will be difficult decisions and will not shirk them. But we will take those decisions with Camden's residents, not for them.

So our final promise is to make Camden a council that is on your side. We will ensure that more decisions are taken locally by the councillors you elect. Backed by a 'can do' Council that cares what you care about - whether that is safer streets, good schools, better parks or tougher planning enforcement.

This is a manifesto for all of Camden and a manifesto we can deliver. With your support we can look forward to a Liberal Democrat Council after 6 May - a Council that will make Camden fair, green and safe.

Related Links:

Our Six Promises for Camden (PDF, 137k).

Camden Manifesto 2010 (PDF, 1MB).