"Local government touches the lives of every resident"

Hounslow Liberal Democrats have launched their local election manifesto setting out a radical approach to tackling unemployment and guiding our community towards a more healthy, green and resilient lifestyle. The manifesto can be downloaded from www.hounslowlibdems.org.uk.

Cllr Andrew Dakers, Leader of Hounslow Liberal Democrats and Prospective MP for Brentford & Isleworth constituency, said:

“We are proposing a clear raft of measures that would make a huge difference to peoples’ lives in Hounslow. Our “Six to Fix” sets out our core policies and shows that a real change can be made by voting Liberal Democrat.”

The “Six to fix” are:

1. Pilot a change of Jobseekers Allowance to a ‘part-time employment guarantee’.
2. Push for improvements in our local health services.
3. Empower communities to make local decisions for justice in cases of Anti Social Behaviour.
4. Rebuild our roads and pavements.
5. Invest in our Primary and Secondary schools.
6. Support all our communities in transitioning to low carbon lifestyles.

In his introduction to the Lib Dem election manifesto for Hounslow, Cllr Andrew Dakers, writes, “Local government touches the lives of every resident. From nursery education to rubbish collection to tackling climate change, councils have a responsibility to ensure that local services are provided in a responsive, efficient and effective manner, in accordance with the needs and wishes of local people. The Local Council elections on Thursday 6 May will decide how local services costing £186.1 million are run and how they are paid for.

“35 years of Labour control and then 4 years of the Tories mean that local government does not fulfil its responsibilities; real decision-making is remote from local people and conducted in an arrogant manner – a survey of residents in 2008 found that only a third of people in Hounslow (34 per cent) feel they can influence local decisions.

“You, the people of Hounslow, have a clear choice at this election - a choice between four more years of Tory muddle, or the opportunity of a radical approach to tackling unemployment and transitioning our community towards a more healthy, green and resilient lifestyle.”

April 9, 2010