Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats : Manifesto 2011 - 2015
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SECURE VALUE FOR MONEY
Our Council must provide good services with less money.
Liberal Democrats will ...
- Consult residents before setting the council tax - and give feedback on how the money is spent.
- Stop Town Hall excesses - the Mayor's car, dining with other councillors, glossy magazines, councillors' computers.
- Maximise income from the planning process and ensure that council-owned venues earn more.
WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY
We believe that the whole community should be encouraged to take an active role in local issues.
We will ...
- Open up council meetings to questions from local residents.
- Set up "neighbourhood" planning committees for our borough and extend our policy of holding public meetings to discuss major planning applications.
- Encourage residents, voluntary groups, the Police and other public bodies to work together on safety matters (e.g. street lighting, parks patrols, town centre night patrols).
PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT
Liberal Democrats champion sustainability and defend the Green Belt.
We will ...
- Place green thinking at the heart of council decision-making (e.g. find more allotment sites) and make sure that our borough is cleaner.
- Improve recycling, promote the use of recycled goods and make Epsom & Ewell a Fairtrade (and plastic bag free) borough.
- Campaign to get waste vehicles and other large lorries re-routed away from residential areas.
HELP THOSE IN NEED
Helping the young, the elderly and the vulnerable is a mark of a civilised society.
We will ...
- Continue to work cross-party to ensure that Epsom Hospital provides the full range of acute services.
- Maintain good relationships with the Police and other groups on safety issues.
- Ensure that the borough council, the county council and the voluntary sector work together to improve transport and facilities for older people.
DEAL WITH OUR PARKING AND CONGESTION PROBLEMS
Epsom town and Ewell village suffer badly from congestion and have parking problems of all kinds.
We will give these issues top priority and ...
- Improve parking enforcement and progress a Residents' Parking Scheme in roads where residents want it.
- Fight for better public transport, with Zone 6 extended to Epsom, more evening buses and a weekend night bus.
- Support "green" travel, cyclists and pedestrians, whilst investigating ways of reducing traffic in the shopping areas of Epsom town centre and Ewell village, so as to reduce our air pollution problems.
SUPPORT SMALL SHOPS AND BUSINESSES
More must be done to help retain the local businesses we all need.
Liberal Democrats will ...
- Make sure that businesses can recycle their waste, can have parking for both staff and customers and can liaise regularly wth a new Town Centre Manager based at our Town Hall.
- Create incentive schemes (e.g. green travel vouchers, parking permits and reduced long-stay parking charges).
- Expand our street market by allowing small traders to take occasional pitches and sell art, crafts or other quality goods - so that Epsom market becomes one of the best in Surrey.
Local Liberal Democrats succeed in Local Government:
- Liberal Democrats have been running the London Borough of Sutton since 1986.
- We have also run the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames since 2001.
- The Liberal Democrats are now the largest party on Mole Valley District Council.