EAST RENFREWSHIRE LABOUR MANIFESTO FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT 2017-2022 Protecting our local services. Investing in our future.
CONTENTS Introduction from Cllr Jim Fletcher, Leader of the Council 2 20 years, 20 achievements 3 Investing in our children and young people 5 Protecting our environment.6 Investing in our economy 7 Protecting our communities 9 Investing in older people..10 Standing up for East Renfrewshire 11 Your East Renfrewshire Labour candidates..12 Page 1
INTRODUCTION East Renfrewshire Council is widely regarded as being one of the best run and most successful councils in Scotland. The leadership of the council and the vision, drive and determination to be the best it can be, has come from local elected Scottish Labour Party councillors. As Leader of the Council and someone who has been involved since the inception of East Renfrewshire Council in 1995, I am immensely proud of our local record. Our new local manifesto for the 2017 Scottish Local Government elections builds on our success and sets out a blueprint for the future that ensures East Renfrewshire Council will continue to flourish, ensures our local area will continue to be one of the best places to live in Scotland and ensures our council services will continue to represent excellent value for local residents. A vote for Labour is a vote for a strong East Renfrewshire. Jim Fletcher Cllr Jim Fletcher - Labour leader of East Renfrewshire Council. Page 2
20 YEARS, 20 LABOUR ACHIEVEMENTS Since its creation, East Renfrewshire labour have had the privilege of running our council. We know there are tough times ahead due to Tory and SNP Government budget cuts but Labour has a plan to protect our local services and invest in our future. You know you can trust us to protect our community based on our record of delivering for East Renfrewshire. Here are twenty Labour achievements which have looked to the future and delivered real change for local people.if re-elected in May, we will deliver once again. 1. Invested 29.8 million in the new Barrhead High School. 2. Invested 18.2 million to build the new faith school joint campus in Newton Mearns. 3. Prepared the way to invest 13.9 million in the new Maidenhill Primary and Nursery in Newton Mearns. 4. Built the state of the art Isobel Mair school for children with additional support needs. 5. Opened the 4 million new Barrhead Offices with purpose built customer service centre. 6. Rebuilt Mearns Primary, Carlibar Primary School, Williamwood High School and Eastwood High. 7. Refurbished and extended Woodfarm High School, Mearns Castle High School, Crookfur Primary School, St Marks Primary and Springburn and Auchenback Primary. 8. Invested 3 million in Rouen Glen Park including a new visitors centre. 9. Refurbished Giffnock Library, Clarkston Halls and Eastwood Park Theatre and Leisure Complex. 10. Built new Barrhead & Eastwood Health Centres. Page 3
11. Provided community grants to fund local projects including Eaglesham based Whitelee wind farm fund. 12. Built new Barrhead Foundry Library and Leisure and invested in and protected Neilston Leisure Centre and Library. 13. Regenerated Barrhead Town Centre; invested in the Clarkston & Giffnock BIDS and committed to the Neilston Charter. 14. Introduced the first ever council nursery provision. 15. Invested in community wardens, CCTV, campus cops and graffiti removal teams leading to the lowest crime rates in mainland Scotland. 16. Listened to local people and retained free parking at local car parks. 17. Created Dams to Darnley Country Park. 18. Invested in Glasgow Southern Orbital, Scotland s largest roads project. 19. Gained Fairtrade status for East Renfrewshire. 20. Consistently maintained and increased the Education budget, resulting in record exam results and the best schools in Scotland Page 4
INVESTING IN OUR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LABOUR WILL Complete the new St Clare s and Calderwood Lodge Primary Complete the new Maidenhill Primary School and Nursery Complete the Crookfur Primary School extension Complete the new Barrhead High School Complete the Auchenback Family Centre Provide 1140 hours of early learning and childcare for all 3 and 4 year olds through increased nursery provision across the area Continue to drive down the cost of wraparound childcare. We will also continue investment in the school estate including: Prioritising Neilston Primary, St Thomas Primary and Carolside Primary for rebuilding in partnership with the Scottish Future s Trust. Priorituse refurbishment at St Luke s High School, St Cadoc s Primary School, Braidbar Primary School and Kirkhill Primary School. Continue to review our inclusive policies to ensure that children with additional support needs receive the best support whether at Isobel Mair School, Carlibar Communication Centre or in a mainstream setting. Continue to maintain investment in education to deliver excellence and equity, ensuring that all our children and young people receive a first class education. Page 5
PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LABOUR WILL Introduce a Local Development Plan that will consolidate on previous plans and plan for the East Renfrewshire of tomorrow Continue to invest in Dams to Darnley Country Park through City Deal Investment Continue to invest in Rouken Glen Park recently named UK s no 1 park Continue to invest in Cowan Park in Barrhead Continue to invest in parks and open spaces around East Renfrewshire Create a local village and locality regeneration fund to bring about improvements Continue to invest in recycling to meet our commitments to reduce landfill Continue to invest in the mixed tenure estates scheme to make our communities better Continue to invest in cleansing to keep East Renfrewshire clean and tidy Introduce a new Council wide initiative to tackle dog fouling Continue to set ambitious targets for Council buildings to meet carbon reduction. Page 6
INVESTING IN OUR ECONOMY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LABOUR WILL Bring the first phase of City Deal projects to fruition: Deliver new business hub in Newton Mearns Deliver new rail halt at Barrhead South Deliver new link road between Barrhead and Newton Mearns Deliver thousands of new jobs and establish programmes to provide targeted support to 16-24 year olds and vulnerable residents. In addition we will test new ways of boosting the incomes of people on low wages to make them more self-reliant. Prepare for second phase City Deal projects Improve transport networks and connectivity Deliver hundreds of modern apprenticeships and graduate jobs across the Council Deliver 1000 new affordable houses and Council houses for rent Page 7
Continue to invest in tourism industry parks and heritage Support BIDs in Clarkston, Giffnock and Barrhead Support Development Trusts Support and increase co-operatives as an alternative business model in East Renfrewshire Continue to mitigate the impact of Tory welfare reform and austerity by funding Welfare Rights and CAB Increase investment on roads repairs, resurfacing and winter maintenance. Maintain East Renfrewshire as a great place to live and do business We will support calls for Tax Transparency and the FairTax mark here in East Renfrewshire, Page 8
PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LABOUR WILL Continue to invest in community safety including CCTV, Wardens and the graffiti removal team. Work with Police Scotland to maintain a police office presence in East Renfrewshire potentially co-located in a Council building. Work in partnership with the Culture and Leisure Trust to deliver: Complete pool improvements at Barrhead Foundry A new Eastwood Leisure Centre and theatre improvements A new Neilston Leisure Hub possibly as part of a Community Campus Protect our Library services across communities Increase activities offered in our sports and culture programmes K e e p m e m b e r s h i p p r i c e s competitive Continue to invest in projects which recognise and celebrate our diversity as a community Continue to support local community groups. Page 9
INVESTING IN OLDER PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LABOUR WILL Increase the budget for aids and adaptations Build more adapted houses for older people Continue to support care workers by increasing rates of pay year on year for living wage Continue to invest in projects to reduce isolation e.g. Mens Shed and Walking Groups Work to improve public transport particularly by calling for the re-regulation of local buses by Scottish Government Ensure pensioners have access to the best advice through our money advice team Page 10
STANDING UP FOR EAST RENFREWSHIRE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS LABOUR WILL We will continue to lobby the Scottish Government for a fair budget settlement for East Renfrewshire which reflects increasing demand for services. We will continue to fight cuts to the Council budget from UK and Scottish Government. We will continue to drive efficiencies in our services through our Modern Ambitious Programme. We will call for further devolution of powers to East Renfrewshire to stop this centralising Scottish Government taking decisions away from local people. We will maintain no compulsory redundancies and increase pay for staff through the Living Wage. We will protect the boundaries of East Renfrewshire by continuing to oppose Boundary Commission proposals to redraw our Parliamentary constituencies. Page 11
Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor Cllr Betty Cunningham and Cllr Kenny Hay Clarkston, Netherlee and Williamwood Cllr Alan Lafferty and Cllr Mary Montague Giffnock and Thornliebank Cllr Jim Fletcher Newton Mearns North and Neilston Cllr Paul O Kane Newton Mearns South and Eaglesham Cllr Ian McAlpine Page 12
Promoted by Nicholas John Hopkins on behalf of East Renfrewshire Labour Page 13 Both at 1 Spiersbridge Way, Thornliebank, G46 8NG