Conservative Manifesto

PROTECTING THE GREEN BELT

The Conservatives would abandon Labour's proposed increase of 22% in the housing stock and consequent invasion of the Green Belt. Any future large scale building proposals would only be approved after proper consultation has been carried out with local residents and not on the say-so of the "Town Planners".

CIVIC BUILDING

In a time of financial restraint, this Labour Council has embarked on a grandiose scheme for a new Civic Building at Main Street.  The Council has agreed to a 30 years lease, at an annual rent of £2.7million with rent reviews every 5 years.  At the end of the lease, the council will have the opportunity to buy the building at the market price. So the total cost at today's prices is £81million plus the rent reviews every 5 years.

Meanwhile the Labour council is spending another couple of million pounds on renovating the Town Hall! 

The Conservatives would rein-in massive spending like this.

THIRD WORLD ROADS

Rotherham`s roads have been poorly maintained for the past decade.  The chickens are now coming home to roost.  Last winter`s severe weather exposed all the weaknesses in our road system and now they are frantically going round patching-up. They have committed so much that there is nothing left in the pot to deal with next winter`s problems.

Conservatives would keep up a strict maintenance schedule.

TOWN CENTRE

Gone are the days when Rotherham had a vibrant and prosperous town centre!  For years the Labour Party has been anti-motorist and has milked the public via parking charges, parking and camera fines.  They have belatedly started to see the light a little with their "Free after 3" and Saturday parking!  The Conservatives have been pressing for years to make Rotherham car-friendly.  Why are Parkgate and Meadowhall so popular? - because shoppers can park outside the shops for free, without watching for Parking Wardens.  We need FREE disc parking in Rotherham Town Centre!

ALL SAINTS` SQUARE

The council demolished the All Saints` Buildings to build new shops, even though they could see that the existing units in Imperial Buildings, College Street and High Street were empty!  What we are now left with is like a bombsite behind the hoardings.  Inadvertently they have opened up a magnificent vista of the Minster, so we must take advantage, get those hoardings down and simply grass-over the site until the economic climate for the town centre improves.

WHAT THE CONSERVATIVES STAND FOR

1. Stopping Labour`s plans to build on the Green Belt which would ruin our countryside and villages, by abolishing the Local Development Framework.

2. Investing in looking after our elderly, including meals on wheels, laundry service and care homes.

3. Improving our roads, reflecting on the amount of tax we pay and cutting the waste within the council to allow for investment in services.

4. More rigorous  Immigration Controls - putting an end to Labour`s open-door policy which has brought about the largest rise in history.

5. Getting tough on anti-social behaviour, ensuring residents feel safe when shopping or going out at night.  We want to see uniformed Police Officers on the streets!

Please use your vote wisely and vote Conservative, a vote for the minor parties will only let Labour in by the back door.  "IT`S TIME FOR CHANGE!"

Councillor John Gilding

Leader Conservative Group Rotherham MBC.