Our ‘six to fix’ pledges for the recent local elections in the Cotswolds were drafted with residents for residents. The best way to serve your local residents is to listen to them and put their ideas into action - our ‘six to fix’ aim to achieve this.
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NO 24/7 car parking charges The endless rises in car parking charges across the Cotswold district have hit shops and restaurants, deterring motorists who are forced to opt for a quick dash into town rather than a leisurely morning or afternoon browsing. The high charges are potentially disastrous for local businesses struggling to attract customers. By making sensible savings elsewhere in the Council budget it is entirely possible to avoid this additional burden on ordinary people. We pledge to stop the new 24/7 charges and freeze them elsewhere. |
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Cut councillors allowances and posts We believe Cotswold District Council can operate very efficiently with less councillors – at least a 10% cut. There has not been a boundary review in the district for ten years and it’s good news that the Boundary Commission has been asked to look again at the Cotswold district. With fewer councillors the savings in allowances and expenses can be redirected towards front line services at a time when all local authorities are strapped for cash. We would also cut the number of Cabinet posts in the Council and stop ‘Vice Chairman’ special allowances which are not needed. |
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Give you a doorstep collection of all recyclable plastics Plastics are now a far too valuable resource to be sent to landfill – all over the country, firms are recovering many types of plastics, but in Cotswold District we can at present recycle only plastic bottles at bottle banks. Many people are complaining that their black bin is now mainly filled with plastics, and are astounded to find all of it is landfilled. The majority of councils enable their residents to recycle plastics on the doorstep, so why can’t we? If it were properly organised, there would be substantial income from recycled plastic, rather than paying exorbitant fees and taxes for landfilling it. |
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Cut the Council’s spin and PR budget and stop ‘Cotswold News’ We note the announcements from Secretary of State Eric Pickles about council produced newspapers and in particular his statement recently that ‘Glossy council propaganda sheets threaten local newspapers and waste taxpayers’ money – we’re cracking down on them.’ The total cost of publishing Cotswold News since 2007 has been £50,840. At this time of cuts to public spending and potential job losses, this money should be used for the maintenance of frontline services. We therefore supports the Coalition Government’s policy and call for an immediate end to the publication of ‘Cotswold News’ out of taxpayers’ money. |
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Stop all new holiday homes until enough affordable housing is built We call for a halt to planning consents for new holiday homes. This follows growing dismay throughout the area, particularly in the Cotswold Water Park, that hundreds of expensive holiday retreats are being built for outsiders at the expense of local families forced out of the housing market. The Cotswolds is now near the top of a league table of shame as the third least affordable area in the South West for housing, according to the National Housing Federation. An average house in the area costs £332,494 against an average salary of £17,716 – putting house prices at nearly 19 times average pay. |
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Reinstate the CCTV monitoring hours in Cirencester which were cut by 50% by the Conservatives. The ruling Conservative Party on Cotswold District Council’s decision to cut the hours by half came to light after a victim of a vicious attack used the Freedom of Information Act to expose the behind closed doors decision. Many people have been saddened by these cuts and want to make sure these decisions aren’t taken in private. We believe that people need reassurance, especially if they have children or family who need security. |