Final Print Version v2

FOR THE MANY,
NOT THE FEW
SOUTHAMPTON LABOUR GROUP
OUR LOCAL ELECTION
MANIFESTO PRIORITIES FOR 2018
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Our Top 20 Manifesto Pledges in Brief
Housing and Homes
Labour will:
1. build a minimum of a thousand council
owned homes to rent over the next five
years
2. establish its own house building factory
which employs local people to build
homes for local people
3. complete its current citywide
programme of fitting sprinklers to all
council high-rise blocks
4. ensure that the HMO licence scheme in
the central wards is renewed and we
will also seek to use compulsory
purchase powers on long-term empty
homes to bring them back into use
Our Environment
Labour will:
9. launch its own council owned energy
company (CitizEN) and reinvest its profits
into alleviating fuel poverty for
Southampton’s residents
10. press neighbouring local councils to
expand the County’s waste recycling
facilities to allow a wider range of
materials to be recycled (e.g. plastics)
11. tackle air pollution with a range of
measures including introduction of a
Clean Air Zone by 2019 with charges for
the most polluting HGV’s taxis and buses
Economy and Employment
Labour will:
15. bring forward plans to regenerate large
sections of our city centre creating 4,000
homes and exciting leisure and job
opportunities
16. progress construction of a state-of-theart
Leisure and Health hub at Bitterne
precinct
17. increase the number of local
apprenticeship opportunities directly
within the Council and with
organisations where we have contracts;
we will also provide a minimum of fifty
well paid council apprenticeships a year
Roads and Transport
Labour will:
5. invest in an improved pothole repair
service where we will see potholes fixed
in days rather than weeks or months
6. increase spending on roads and
pavement resurfacing; we pledge to
complete a hundred schemes next year
focusing on small residential roads and
cycle routes
7. clean up Southampton by investing
£400,000 in extra street cleaning;
amounting to over 20,000 extra hours of
work to spruce up our city
8. explore opportunities for ensuring
subsidised bus pass provision for women
denied by Government fair access to
their pensions as highlighted by the
campaign group Women Against State
Pension Inequality (WASPI)
Care for our Most Vulnerable
Labour will:
12. help Care Leavers to support their start
into independent living by exempting
them from paying Council Tax
13. increase investment in advice services
for those most impacted by the
Government’s benefit changes
14. sign up to UNISON’s Ethical Care and
Residential Care Charters ending 15-
minute care visits and providing care
workers with paid travel time
Our Communities
Labour will:
18. continue its programme of investing in
Council play parks starting with Mansel
Park and then Riverside Park
19. invest in Christmas lighting for our main
district shopping centres in Shirley,
Portswood, and Woolston
20. ensure that Southampton remains a
welcoming city to our many diverse
communities and adopt a zero
tolerance approach to hate crime by
promoting a third party reporting
scheme
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Southampton has strong and sustainable economic Growth
Our Top Priorities:
Labour will build a minimum of a thousand council owned homes to rent in
the next five years
Labour will bring forward plans to regenerate large sections of our city
centre creating 4,000 homes and exciting leisure and job opportunities
Labour will establish its own house building factory which will employ local
people to build homes for local people
Labour will progress construction of a state-of-the-art Leisure and Health
hub at Bitterne precinct.
Other Key Commitments
Labour will update the Council’s ethical procurement model by drawing
on the approach pioneered successfully by the Labour Council in Preston
in order to source more goods and services locally
Labour will establish a Local Authority Trading Company (LATCO) to bid
for commercial work and then reinvest profits into other Council services/
projects
Labour will work with a range of partners to build a new state-of-the-art
water sports centre next to the Itchen Bridge
Improved Economic Development and Employment
The way out of poverty is through well paid work. We have created more jobs in the
city and now need to work with groups furthest from a return to work to help them
play their part in the city’s growing economy. We also need to close the pay gap
between those that are employed in the city and those that live here. Southampton
residents should get the benefit of economic growth.
The City Council is increasingly dependent on business rates to support vital public
services, so bringing investment into the city to regenerate areas of the city centre is
vital. The more we can grow our business rates, the more we can fund vital services
to residents without relying on cash from Westminster.
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Labour will work with partners to build a conference and concert venue as part of
the redevelopment of the waterfront. Labour will work with our universities and sports
clubs to build a water sports centre next to the Itchen Bridge. Labour will continue to
progress with the construction of a State-of-the-art Leisure destination on the east of
the city with extra-care affordable housing built on freed up sites.
We inherited the worst industrial relations in local government from the previous Tory
administration. We have worked hard to improve these and ensured that workers
representatives are consulted about all major decisions. We have not lost one day
to strike action in five years. We are committed to investing in our staff and
promoting from within. We will establish the LATCO to bid for commercial work, as
we have confidence in our staff and the services provide, and reinvest the profits
into council services/projects.
Housing Regeneration – Affordable Homes for sustainable Living
The country is in a housing crisis and hasn’t built enough homes to house our
population for thirty years. This shortage is driving up prices both to buy and rent. We
need a public sector -led home building programme to deliver eco-friendly homes
of all tenures.
Labour will bring forward plans to regenerate large sections of our city centre
creating 4,000 homes as well as exciting leisure and job opportunities. Labour will
safeguard industrial land and use our land ownership and planning powers to bring
the high tech industries of the future to Southampton.
A Labour Council will invest in homes to rent; our target is to build a thousand homes
in the next five years, all of them rented out by the council. We could do much more
if we had a government committed to affordable housing.
Labour is committed to building further Extra Care housing, especially on the east of
the city where there are shortages. Labour will work with housing associations and
Private Rented Sector housing providers to add a further thousand homes to rent
over the same period.
We will renew the HMO licencing scheme for Bargate, Bevois, Swaythling and
Portswood, running alongside a similar scheme in Freemantle, Bassett, Millbrook and
Shirley. We will explore extending licensing to the rest of the city. We will also simplify
the process for making complaints about landlords and increase awareness of this
valued service.
Devolution and greater Local Democracy
Following Brexit it is essential that we see the devolution of powers and responsibilities
to local decision-makers. The case for transport, skills and infrastructure investment
being passed to local authorities is very strong. We will work with other Solent
Councils to establish a mayoral combined authority.
We also believe that we need to bring real community decisions – small capital
schemes, community grants and environmental improvements closer to the people
and will investigate whether urban parishes are a way to achieve this. We will
consider piloting the establishment of urban community councils which allow local
people a bigger say about how their local environment can be enhanced and
improved.
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Building on the success of the Southampton Youth Forum set up by Labour to ensure
young people have an influence on local policy, we will re-establish the role of a
Member of Youth Parliament for Southampton, to give local young people a voice
in national forums too.
Priority Areas for Further Development
Labour will work with a range of partners to build a conference and
concert venue as part of the redevelopment of the waterfront
Labour will ensure that any Southampton resident applying for a job with
the Council who meets essential criteria might expect an interview
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Children and Young People get a good start in Life
Our Top Priorities:
Labour will increase the number of local apprenticeship opportunities
directly within the Council and with those organisations where we have
contracts; we will also provide a minimum of fifty well paid council
apprenticeships a year
Labour will help Care Leavers to support their start into independent living
by exempting them from paying Council Tax
Other Key Commitments
Labour will establish a Southampton Education Partnership which will work
across all our schools to drive up standards and achieve 90% of all schools
rated by Ofsted as either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’
Labour will continue to reduce the high numbers of children in need –
inherited as a legacy of the last disastrous Tory council administration –
through development of a new ‘Edge of Care’ service
Labour will work with early years providers and others to promote
opportunities for greater links between the generations e.g. by locating
nurseries in new extra care housing schemes for older people
Improving Education, Skills and Learning
Schools in Southampton are facing the first real-terms cuts to their budgets for over
twenty years. The Conservative government claims there is more money than ever
for education, but head teachers are making tough decisions when government
funding doesn’t cover costs. Labour fully supports the parent-led Fair Funding for
Schools campaign, and we have lobbied MPs and ministers to properly support
schools so we can secure the best outcomes for children in our city.
Labour commits to providing for our growing school population by ensuring every
child is guaranteed a secondary school place.
We will deliver better educational and employment outcomes for our Looked After
Children and care leavers by strengthening our corporate parenting capabilities
and our ‘Virtual School’.
We will work to create an Education Quarter which will champion inclusive lifelong
learning, in order to better equip Southampton’s citizens for life as one of the top five
cities for growth in the UK.
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Whenever a development happens we will use our planning powers to guarantee
job opportunities and apprenticeships for local people. We will also develop with
local Universities and Colleges career pathways which allow our employees to
progress to more skilled better paid jobs.
Protecting our more Vulnerable Children and Young People
Labour will continue to deliver our commitment to keep all Sure Start centres open
at a time when government cuts are closing on average one centre every week
across the UK.
We will continue to reduce the high numbers of children in need through the
development of an Edge of Care service and reduce the numbers of Looked After
Children by ensuring more children are adopted and fostered. We will reduce the
numbers of Looked After Children in high-cost residential care and – as part of this –
we plan to restructure our ‘Short Breaks’ offer for children with disabilities in order to
increase the number of children able to access them.
Together with our NHS partners we will direct more resources to the neglected
Children’s Adolescent & Mental Health Services (CAMHS); we will radically upgrade
and enhance these vital services to make good the 20% cuts incurred since 2010 by
the Tory government.
We recognise the need for local action – together with schools and health services -
on reducing childhood obesity, poor dental health and avoidable admissions to
hospital caused by injuries in the home and on our roads.
Working with the police and others we will take a proactive approach to preventing
radicalisation of our young people targeted by extremist organisations. We will also
work closely with the Youth Offending Board and Hampshire Constabulary to
develop effective crime diversion programmes for young people as an effective
alternative to custody.
Priority Areas for Further Development
Labour will provide ten paid internships every summer to young people
who either live in Southampton or attend one of our universities
Labour will work with early years providers and others to promote
opportunities for greater links between the generations e.g. by locating
nurseries in new extra care housing schemes for older people
Labour will explore opportunities for introducing locally the tried and
tested ‘Pause Project’ supporting women who are at particular risk of
having their children taken into care
Labour will work with local schools and the wide range of criminal justice
agencies to promote restorative practice models throughout the city
thereby minimising avoidable exclusions and absences
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People in Southampton live safe, healthy, independent Lives
Our Top Priorities:
Labour will complete its current citywide programme of fitting sprinklers
to all council high-rise blocks
Labour will increase investment in advice services for those most
impacted by the Government’s benefit changes
Labour will sign up to UNISON’s Ethical Care and Residential Care
Charters ending 15-minute care visits and providing care workers with
paid travel time
Labour will explore opportunities for ensuring subsidised bus pass
provision for women denied by Government fair access to their pensions
as highlighted by the campaign group Women Against State Pension
Inequality (WASPI)
Labour will ensure that Southampton remains a welcoming city to our
many diverse communities and adopt a zero tolerance approach to
hate crime by promoting a third party reporting scheme
Other Key Commitments:
Labour will work with the local NHS to redevelop and expand services at
the Western Hospital and the RSH – including extra care/ key worker
housing
Labour will take further action on preventing the City’s unacceptably
high suicide rate linked to action on mental health stigma and
discrimination; we will also develop an integrated model for supported
housing (Housing First) that addresses problems for people with drug and
alcohol dependency
Labour will implement in full recommendations of the scrutiny inquiry
looking at drug-related litter in parts of the City
Labour will tackle the increasing problems associated with off-road
motor cycle riding in a number of Southampton neighbourhoods
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Better Health and Social Care
Councils will see their grant funding from the Tory-led government reduce by a
staggering £16 billion between 2010 and 2020. Councils face a funding gap of £5.8
billion by 2020, with at least £1 billion of this related to adult social care.
The consequences of chronic underfunding in social care has created an
increasingly insecure provider market, growing unmet need, further strain on informal
carers, less investment in prevention, continued pressure on a care workforce at
breaking point, meaning that social care will struggle to reduce pressure on the NHS.
The City Council under Labour has done its utmost to protect vulnerable adults, and
despite crippling cutbacks, the City Council in 2016/17 was able to provide longterm
care to 2,780 adult social care clients (costing around £61 million) including:
1,470 people with physical disability/mobility support needs/ sensory
impairment (£25.5 million)
580 people with learning disabilities (£21.5 million)
315 people with memory or cognition support needs/dementia (£10 million)
350 people with mental health issues (£4.25 million)
Looking ahead, Labour plans to consult widely with disabled people and their
organisations, carers and service users about the Government’s much-delayed
proposals for long term funding for adult social care which is now expected in a
‘Green Paper’ in Summer 2018.
We will use our public health budget to reduce the number of people admitted to
hospital from preventable conditions and continue to reduce the number of
delayed transfers of care, working with valued partners in NHS. At a community and
neighbourhood level, Labour work with our local NHS to establish integrated primary
care hubs in Shirley and Bitterne.
Safer Communities
Since the Tories came to power, our police service has seen big cuts in frontline staff.
Hampshire’s police are dangerously understaffed, overworked and overstretched
and communities are becoming less safe as a result. Between 2012 and 2016,
Hampshire Constabulary lost almost 1,000 police staff including 551 frontline officers.
Hampshire Police have been forced to cut £82 million (24%) from their annual
budget since 2010 with a further £25 million demanded by the government over the
next four years. As a direct result, crime has started to rise.
In 2016/17 Southampton police recorded 30,728 crimes – a significant increase on
the previous year. Southampton, along with Portsmouth, have the highest recorded
crime rate amongst its 15 comparator areas with 120 crimes per 1,000 population,
compared to 73 for England.
Labour in Southampton will make best use of its position on the Hampshire & Isle of
Wight police and crime panel to help secure a fairer share of the financial resources
from Government for the county’s police force whilst also pressing home the case
for more action in Southampton on neighbourhood crime, road safety, antisocial
behaviour and youth programmes.
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We will work with police and NHS partners to address the challenges identified in the
Alcohol Strategy and Drug Strategy via the Health and Wellbeing Board and Safe
City Partnership.
We will maximise opportunities for closer working with Hampshire Fire & Rescue
Service to prevent avoidable admissions to hospital from accidents, burns and falls.
We will also work with Southampton Football Club to address health issues for people
of working age and later years like, for example, in helping to prevent admissions to
hospital from falls.
Greater Diversity, Equality and Fairness
Labour is committed to a fairer and more equal society for everyone. There is a
strong and undisputed economic and social case that reducing the widening gap
between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ ultimately benefits and makes life better for us
all.
While Southampton is one of the fastest growing economies in the UK, some of our
communities are among the poorest in the country. Sadly, a Labour Council cannot
deflect all the cruel inequalities being imposed on our poorest residents by this Tory
Government, but it will remain committed to ensuring they are shielded as far as
possible from harsh Tory austerity measures.
Labour values the role of the voluntary sector and will continue to work with and
support local charities and organisations to help tackle our most urgent social needs.
Labour wants everyone to have the same opportunities, respect and ambitions in life
irrespective of social background, race or religion. As a port city, Southampton has a
long tradition stretching back centuries of people coming to work, study, travel and
trade from all backgrounds and from all over the globe. It has made Southampton
what it is today: a vibrant, multi-skilled, resourceful, creative and ambitious city. We
will continue to celebrate being a City of Sanctuary.
Labour will work with partners to ensure we remain the welcoming and diverse
community we have been for centuries and commit to advocating social cohesion
through key initiatives and events, as well as being a city of zero tolerance to hate
crime.
Priority Areas for Further Development
Labour will pilot the use of mobile phone camera technology to better
enable citizens to report environmental issues such as graffiti, overflowing
rubbish bins, potholes, misuse of bike stands, illegal pavement parking
etc.
Labour will support requests from local Saints supporters for introducing on
a pilot basis ‘safe standing’ zones at St Mary’s Stadium
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Southampton is a modern, attractive City where People are proud
to live and work (1) Environment, Transport & Sustainable Living
Our Top Priorities
Labour will invest in an improved pothole repair service where we will see
potholes fixed in days rather than weeks and months
Labour will continue to increase spending on roads and pavement
resurfacing; we pledge to complete a hundred schemes next year
focusing on small residential roads and cycle routes
Labour will work to clean up Southampton by investing £400,000 in extra
street cleaning; amounting to over 20,000 extra hours of work to spruce
up our city
Labour will ensure that the HMO licence scheme in the central wards is
renewed. We will also seek to use compulsory purchase powers on longterm
empty homes to bring them back into use
Labour will launch its own council owned energy company (CitizEN) and
will reinvest profit into alleviating fuel poverty for Southampton’s residents
Labour will continue to press neighbouring local councils to expand the
County’s waste recycling facilities to allow a wider range of materials to
be recycled (e.g. plastics)
Labour will continue to tackle air pollution with a package of measures
including introduction of a Clean Air Zone by 2019 with charges for the
most polluting HGV’s taxi’s and buses
Labour will invest an extra 20% of the roads budget for the repair of
damage to concrete roads
Other Key Commitments:
Labour will continue to roll out the green wall across the boundary of the
docks and explore further locations along busy roads
Labour will continue to work with partner organisations to deliver Shore
Power in Southampton.
Labour will offer a package of measures to support Electric Vehicle
ownership in the city, such as free crossing of the Itchen Bridge,
subsidised parking and recharge points
Labour will work to ensure 100% renewable energy is supplied to all
council buildings
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Environment & Transport
Labour is fully committed to building a modern transport system and will work with
the business community through the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership to secure our
fair share of government investment to fund it. During 2018/19 we will review and
consult extensively on a new Local Transport Plan for the City and surrounding areas.
We will continue to increase spending on our roads and maintain our commitment
to freeze or reduce parking charges.
We will continue to implement our bold five year programme to deliver Labour’s
Cycle Strategy.
Labour will introduce a new enforcement team – one that is more joined up – to
tackle environmental concerns and enforce existing laws to keep the city clean. We
will work with a range of partners to spruce up Southampton and invest in the
necessary equipment to get the job done.
Sustainable Living
Labour will bring in the Clean Air Zone by 2019 with charges for coaches, buses,
HGVs and taxis that don’t meet emission standards. We will no longer licence any
diesel taxis by 2023. We will ensure the availability of at least 100 Electric Vehicle
charge points across the city by 2020.
We will continue to work with partners including Associated British Ports to deliver
Shore Power to Southampton and help reduce air pollution from local ships in port.
We will start work on rolling out a ‘green wall’ across the boundary of the docks and
explore further locations along busy roads.
We are fully committed to 100% renewable energy supplied to all Council buildings.
The council's new energy company will reinvest its profits into alleviating fuel poverty
and, over time, introduce a low cost renewable tariff.
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Southampton is a modern, attractive City where People are proud
to live and work (2) Leisure, Culture & Communities
Our Top Priorities
Labour will continue a programme of investing in Council play parks
starting with Mansel Park and then Riverside Park
Labour will invest in Christmas lighting for our main district shopping centres
in Shirley, Portswood, and Woolston.
Other Key Commitments:
Labour will redevelop Southampton’s Outdoor Sport Centre
Labour will support local community organisations by doubling the
amount we invest in the local community small grants and working with
‘friends of’ groups
Labour will ensure that there are more events throughout the city for
everyone to enjoy
Labour will invest in the City’s heritage and cultural life, including delivery
of a series of activities and events to commemorate Mayflower 400 in
2020
Labour will have more physical activities and improved sports facilities in
our parks and open spaces
Leisure and Culture
Labour believes that art, leisure and culture enrich lives, which in turn transforms
communities and brings cities to life. Places like Southampton are vibrant, diverse,
modern, ambitious, and so much more because of the flourishing culture and artists
they produce.
Culture is becoming the beating heart of our city; we have art organisations helping
to run our local libraries and working with our young offenders to help reduce reoffending.
From the arrival of Studio 144 in Southampton’s emerging Cultural
Quarter, to hosting mass sporting events and making physical activity more
accessible, Labour is committed to ensuring culture is for everyone.
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Labour has made Southampton a place where something is always happening. We
want to create a city that we can all enjoy and be proud of, but also a place where
people from around the world want to visit.
With the cultural sector being the second biggest economic driver in the UK, it is only
right and fitting that Labour promotes culture within our city to reap the economic
benefits it brings, with job creation and business retention. Labour have also used
culture and leisure to help address social needs and instil pride in our city, giving
Southampton the cultural identity it needs and deserves.
Labour will continue work with local people and partners to ensure we establish
Southampton firmly on the map and become the leading cultural destination in the
region. Labour commits to maximising key events that will be strong opportunities to
showcase our City, including Mayflower 400 in 2020, Southampton 800th Mayor in
2022, and even a potential bid in 2021 to become UK City of Culture in 2025.
Priority Areas for Further Development
Labour will support the City’s local artists through participation in the ‘Public Art
Local’ programme
Labour will work with residents to protect local community buildings by listing
them as community assets
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