A further instalment  from Gloucestershire LibDems’ county council manifesto.

* ensure school buildings and facilities are fit for purpose

A Liberal Democrat run council will act to remove all temporary school buildings attached to schools, ensure ICT facilities are up to date, and support outdoor areas at school. We will work with government to fast track funding for the county from the ‘Building Schools For Future’ programme.

* stop house building on the flood plain and protect the green belt

Liberal Democrats will work to stop government plans to build  houses on the green belt and on flood plains. We opposed the Tory council bid for ‘growth point status’ that encouraged accelerated house building on green fields.

* adopt new estate roads more swiftly

The county council is too slow to adopt new estate road, with some remaining unadopted five years and more after they were built. Our administration will put in place new policies to tackle these unnecessary delays.

What will Gloucestershire LibDems do for the county’s transport needs?

* tackle the £130m backlog of roads maintenance backlog

A Liberal Democrat council will set out a clear plan for quality road repairs around the county.

* enough salt to keep our roads safe and open in winter

No more begging from other councils for salt to keep our roads open in winter. We will make sure we have a full supply of road salt for our needs.

* A fast rail service to London is important for the county economy

We will press the government to secure funding to deliver the dual tracking of the line between  Kemble and Swindon to speed up services to the capital.

* cycling keeps you fit, it’s great for the environment

The county needs a network of cycle hire facilities for local and visitor use - new dedicated cycle paths will be encouraged.

A crucial instalment from Gloucestershire LibDems’ manifesto for the June county council election. We will:

* halt the building of the massive waste incinerator for the county

A Liberal Democrat run council will halt the building of a massive waste incinerator in Gloucestershire.    We will plan for alternative environmentally friendly waste disposal options.

* countywide organisation to co-ordinate recycling improvements and waste collection

A countywide waste partnership is necessary to co-ordinate the waste collection and recycling facilities in Gloucestershire.

* increase recycling target to 70%

We will raise the target for recycling waste to 70% from the Tories’ 43%. Increased recycling will reduce landfill and remove the need for a massive waste incinerator.

More from Gloucestershire LibDems’ manifesto for the June county council election:

* 20 mph safety zones around all schools

We will commit to a countywide plan to deliver 20 mph safety zones and safer routes to school around all schools in the county over the next four years.

* transport for young people

A Liberal Democrat run council will develop a transport system that young people can use during the daytime and evening.

* teachers to support children who stay in hospital and recover from illness at home

Tory council budget cuts to fund teachers who provide education support to sick children will be reversed. Children who stay in hospital or are recovering at home deserve education support.

Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats have published their manifesto for the county council elections, featuring ’six to fix’. Top of the list is to ‘end the poor one-star service and deliver first class personal care for the elderly and disabled.

In more detail -
* A Liberal Democrat run council will secure a high standard of care for elderly and disabled people in the county. We will implement the 21 recommendations of the Commission for Social Care Inspection. We will deliver a three-star service.
* Care charges for elderly people will not rise above inflation. (This is also the sixth in the ‘to fix’ list.)
* Quality care and support will be provided so that people can stay in their own homes.
* A Liberal Democrat run council will provide support for carers. Extra support services will be developed to support elderly people who take on the role of carer.

Yesterday I had an interesting meeting with the council officer responsible for waste collection, and have also been enquiring what neighbouring districts are doing. The answer to the second is ‘disposing of food waste mixed with garden waste, and charging for the garden waste’.

ODD FACT – The In Vessel Composter (IVC) at Sharpness (in the Stroud District)  requires a mixture of food and garden waste. Stroud Conservatives prefer to have food waste sent to Leominster, 50 miles away, for processing because of their blinkered attitude towards the collection of garden waste.

Some garden waste cannot be processed at home. It surely makes more sense to send it to a local IVC than to landfill, as at present.