Accessible version of our Manifesto.
OUR PLAN FOR PORTSMOUTH.
Foreword:
After 10 years of Liberal Democrat rule and poor financial management, in 2014 the Conservatives took over the running of the city and I became Lead- er of Portsmouth City Council. We have worked hard to protect vital public services during the ongoing austerity programme, by using our business back- ground and drive to generate more money for the city and for you, the tax payer.
We are investing into schools, education and school places to help give the best chances to everyone in our city. And on top of that, they’re helping to protect the services that you value. On May 3rd, please give the Conservatives your vote.
Cllr. Donna Jones,
Leader of Portsmouth City Council
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“Portsmouth, in 2014 you sent a clear message that you wanted change across the city. Since that time the Conservative administration running the City Council has invested money back into the city, bolstered regeneration and invested cash into our communities from The Hard through to Paulsgrove. The Conservatives locally, and in central government are investing into schools, education and school places to help give the best chances to everyone in our city. And on top of that, they’re helping to protect the services that you value. On May 3rd, please give the Conservatives your vote.”
PENNY MORDAUNT MP
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PROTECTING YOUR WEEKLY BIN
COLLECTIONS.
Weekly collections are vital for families and help to keep our city tidy. Unlike Labour- run Southampton, Portsmouth Conservatives will not move to a fortnightly service.
KEEPING COUNCIL TAX LOW.
Portsmouth City Council charges less tax than any other city
in the south in fact, Labour Southampton charge £154 more whilst cutting weekly bin collections. We want you to keep more of your money.
BUILDING NEW PUBLIC TOILETS.
The Lib Dems closed half the public toilets, making it difficult
for many people to get out and about. We have reopened
the ones they did not demolish or sell-off and will create more across the city.
TACKLING HOMELESSNESS.
While others are talking about it, we have opened a Winter Shelter for the last two years and generated enough income to set a side and additional £150,000 to keep the shelter open all year around meaning no one in Portsmouth needs to sleep rough. There is a bed for everyone.
MAKING PORTSMOUTH GREENER.
We are bringing in a new “Boris-Bike” scheme run by Next Bikes which will be up and running in June. In council car parks across the city we have introduced electric car charging points. We also have plans to roll out this into residential streets.
200+ NEW COUNCIL HOMES FOR CITY.
We’re building more high-quality council homes than at any time for a generation.
We’ve built just over 200 in under 4 years, and have a plan to start building even more.
We want local families to have a place to call home and to tackle the national housing crisis. Portsmouth Conservatives are leading the way.
REPAIRING POT HOLES & ROADS.
The Conservative government has just announced £100 million extra to compliment the £75 million funds already announced to fix potholes across the country.
Locally we have re-surfaced Duisburg Way in Southsea and Copnor Road in Hilsea. And during the recent snow, all our major roads were kept clear making our city a safer place to be.
PROTECTING OUR LIBRARIES.
While other councils across the country are closing libraries, we have kept all libraries open, and in fact as from 1st April Southsea Library is opening on a Sunday due to the money generated from opening gift shops on site.
CLEAN CITY TEAM.
In their last budget while running the Council the Lib Dems cut £165,000 from the Community Wardens Budget and instead wanted to pay a private profit- making company to run the same service. We have saved the service and gave our Wardens additional powers to be able to issues nes for dropping litter, cigarette stubs and not picking up their dog waste. This has made our city a cleaner and nicer place to live and work.
PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN.
Over the last 4 years we have ensured that school crossing patrols have been protected from the cuts that the Lib Dems imposed on this vital service for children. We are working with the schools to raise road safety awareness with primary school children with our Stomper Campaign. Over the last two years we have worked with British Cycling Association introducing Pedal-Portsmouth providing a safer place for people to ride their cycles.
A VIBRANT CITY.
Over 400 events were put on in the city over last year Portsmouth is now home to one of the largest music festivals – Victorious Festival. We worked with a local hotel to have an open-air ice rink in the Guildhall Square which created jobs in the city and brought in new tourist to the Guildhall
Square. April 2018 sees the start of new markets every weekend in Cosham including a Friday Farmers’ Market as well as the successful Love Southsea Market expanding to create Love Cosham on a Saturday.
PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT.
We are working on a Clean Air Strategy as part
of our programme for protecting our environment. We’ve undertaken a pledge to end single use plastic by 2020 and have launched a series of water refill stations along the seafront, and are actively working with businesses to join up to the Water Refill scheme. We will be working on a range of schemes from beach clean ups to sea bins and natural solutions, such as helping to re-introduce the native Solent Oyster here.
