Putting
people first
By
Alex Perkins, Liberal Democrat Canterbury
City Council Leader
What do people want from their local council? Well,
the District Auditor, a completely independent local
government watchdog, said that this administration,
led by the local Liberal Democrats, is prudent
and provides sound and effective leadership.
Canterbury City Council is now a listening
council - putting people first.
Putting people first means fighting for local
services and putting care for the environment
and for the elderly at the heart of our policies.
That is why we have been at the forefront of the fight
to SAVE our local hospital - the
most important issue we face - as well as fighting
on your behalf to STOP KCC building the SWERF incinerator
right next to the city, and FOR a local wind farm.
The LibDems want to build on this by devolving more
powers to area committees so that local people in
the villages and on the coast have more say in where
their money is spent.
We have concentrated on developing local communities.
Under Libdem leadership over £10 million
of outside investment has been brought in
to the district to spend on local people and local
community projects. And none of that money
will come out of your council tax. Canterbury City
Council under the LibDems spends more on services
for local people than any other council in
Kent. But still you pay the third lowest council
tax in the county. Now that really is good
value! And in the forthcoming National Audit Commission
assessment of leading councils, Canterbury is coming
out right at the top.
As well as spending your money wisely
we work closely with the police to build safer, better
communities. Canterbury is the first Council in the
country to have a police inspector and sergeant working
permanently with our youth and community teams to
help cut crime and keep people safe.
We also engage young people by providing services
like the mobile skateboard team SK8a - which will
be launched later this month, and the youth bus and
511 teams. If re-elected we will also provide two
new skateboard facilities to keep local kids
busy and out of trouble.
But most of all, what you get if you have a Liberal
Democrat Council is a council that is working
for local people - forming partnerships to
make this a better, cleaner and more prosperous district
for everyone! Fighting for better public transport
to ease the traffic, and for a fair deal for
local people.
