Horsham Labour Party is fielding candidates right across the district to ensure Labour supporters have the opportunity to vote Labour.
Our Commitment to Horsham
From talking to local residents it is clear that many feel disappointed with the level of representation offered by our councillors. Too many councillors once elected are never seen again, or move away like the Lib Dem from Horsham Park who lives in Hastings, but still claimed travel expenses when he attended council meetings.
The poor level of representation we have received in areas like Horsham Park over the last four years is a major motivation for us to offer residents a greater commitment to public service at a time when important decisions are being made about cuts to local services. Residents feel their views are not listened to and many people don’t even know who their councillors are! We believe that anyone elected to represent local people should do just that - represent their views on local matters - so if elected we undertake to:
- Be visible in the local area
- Attend both council and planning meetings
- Consult regularly on issues of local concern
- Feed back on council meetings through regular newsletters and publish a report on our website after council meetings, highlighting what we have said and how we voted
- Organise regular surgeries to offer help and advice with council issues
Labour’s Election Message
Labour believes that the local council has an important role in growing the local economy to help tackle the deficit by, for example, building badly-needed affordable housing and developing jobs and homes that local people need.
The Tory-led government’s plans will cost hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide, such as those that are under threat at local employer Novartis. In Horsham we would promote more than just fine dining, encouraging small to medium size businesses to locate within our district. We would build a new generation of council housing, built by and for local people. These building contracts would include clauses to provide apprenticeships and job opportunities for the under 25s. All new homes would be built to the highest environmentally sustainable standards.
We will be accountable and deliver policies that are supported by the majority of residents, in stark contrast to what currently happens. The Tory council is happy to consult but even happier to ignore the outcome of a consultation process, such as the one that took place over the future of the old Town Hall. We want to see the old Town Hall retained as a community facility in, and at the centre of, our town, and do not wish to see this historic building handed over to yet another chain restaurant.
If elected our councillors will work to identify sensible savings and ensure council budgets are properly managed for the benefit of council tax payers rather than consultants and big business. We will ensure that there is a dialogue between the council and the local community, that residents’ views and concerns are heard and that the services the council delivers are of a high quality and value for money.
Labour candidates campaign to protect vital services
Horsham Labour Party believes that in these tough times we need local councillors who will stand up against the Tory plans to cut vital services, cuts that are unfair and detrimental to our communities. That’s why our candidates are standing in these elections
We have been talking to local people and listening to their concerns. We know that people are worried that the services they rely on are under attack. Cuts in play schemes, youth services and care for the elderly and disabled are already severely effecting the quality of life in our communities. More cuts in services such as police numbers and bus routes will make matters worse.
We need to make sensible cuts to reduce the deficit, but the reckless programme designed in Downing Street - and now coming to our streets – goes too far, too fast
The Tories running Horsham district council have enthusiastically slashed jobs and services, claiming that this is necessary in the present economic climate. They have not, however, found it necessary to effectively manage council budgets and have recklessly overspent, £1 million this year alone on mismanaged projects and expensive advice from consultants. A disgraceful waste of council taxpayers money which should have been spent on services and improvements to poorly maintained streets.
The Lib Dems' cracked record
The Lib Dems claim at every election that they are the alternative voice to the Tories and that voting for any other party will let the Tories win. Since the General Election the Lib Dem pigeon has come home to roost and it’s clear that the way to guarantee a Tory win is to vote Lib Dem!
It’s not only at national level that the Lib Dems vote with theTories, it happens in Horsham too. Some Lib Dem councillors can often be seen at council meetings voting alongside the Tories on issues they publically claim to oppose.
This is a once-in-four-years opportunity for Labour supporters to elect Labour councillors. The Lib Dems are too close to the Tories, only Labour can provide an effective alternative.