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27/04/08 : Compare our plans with the Tories’ lack of plans!
Reading Labour Leader Cllr. David Sutton has reminded voters of the detailed plans for the town which his party published on 31 March, and contrasted those with the Tories’ failure to publish a proper manifesto for the elections next week.
He says: “Labour stated some very clear priorities for the town, saying we would:
Make sure crime in Reading goes on falling - with the increased number of police officers and PCSO’s, the development of neighbourhood policing, and being strong on drugs, anti-social behaviour, street drinking and graffiti
Make sure every child gets the best possible start in life, with a strong network of children’s centres, good schools, and good training opportunities
Develop more affordable housing – to rent and to buy – giving people a chance to have a decent home at a price they can afford
Make sure older people and the disabled receive the help they need, and don’t suffer the cruel cuts that have been imposed by our Tory neighbours
Make sure Reading benefits to the full from the £664Million we have won for revamping Reading Station, one of the biggest investments in public transport in the country
Work with John Madejski on developing the land between the station and Friar Street, and on the next phase of Chatham Place, continuing the transformation of Reading town centre
Work to overcome the resistance of Oxfordshire Tories to a third Thames Bridge. Building a third bridge, the Oxford Road relief road and other improvements we believe would cut by half the 155,000 cars that drive through the town centre every day
Deliver a new, larger, state of the art, theatre to replace the ageing Hexagon and a modern, improved central library, as part of regenerating the civic centre area
Promote access to sport for all, with the Sport Reading partnership helping Reading children participate in 5 hours of sport and exercise a week
Reduce Reading Council’s carbon emissions by at least 10% by 2012 and become one of the leading Councils in carbon reduction and leading the fight against climate change
Back in January we also published our transport strategy, which is much more specific and much more detailed than the statement the Tories published at the end of March.
“There is no proper Tory manifesto, as voters can see for themselves on www.readingeastconservatives.com, and that is frankly a disgrace. They are apparently claiming that the ten general aims in their In Touch – things like a prosperous economy and high standards in schools - constitute their manifesto, but those empty generalities are no programme for action. Andrew Cumpsty’s appeal to voters, published by the Evening Post on 23 April, had no vision for Reading, and also offered not a single policy commitment.
“In the three weeks since we launched our Manifesto, Labour has also come forward with plans to rebuild four of our primary schools and improve facilities at others, to revamp children’s playgrounds across the town, to work with the Post Office to provide postal services in areas hit by closures, and to work with the African and Caribbean community to provide a replacement for Central Club.
“And Cllr. Cumpsty’s deputy, Cllr. Steele, accuses us of having no fresh ideas! This from a party that has only had three ideas - reviving the cross-town route, ripping out the Kings Road bus lane, and building a £1 Million bridge club in Mapledurham - to rub together since Cllr. Cumpsty was elected.
“Reading is a good town to live in, with a prosperous economy; good public services; close working between the Council, the police, the NHS, major businesses and the voluntary sector; and good community relations - thanks in no small part to a Labour Council which has worked hard for local people. I hope that on 1 May people will put their confidence in us to take that work forward and to implement the priorities I have outlined, and not in a party that doesn’t care, or doesn’t dare, to put any detailed policies before the electorate.”
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