What Should Be in Croydon Labour's 2014 Council Manifesto?

Croydon Labour has started a consultation on its local elections manifesto. It is holding meetings and  running an on-line questionnaire : www.croydonlabour.org.uk/manifesto. The first meeting was on Wednesday 19 June on Green policies.

It is too early to decide on what the priorities should be given it is early days re-the effects of the welfare and benefit reforms. Priorities for consideration should include:

·     altering  the current welfare reform strategy of the Council away from the emphasis on changing behaviour and dicktat control to mitigating the effects of benefit  cuts and increasing opportunities to solve the resultant problems

·     no housing of people outside the Borough where their family and friends networks, schooling and work would be adversely affected

·      a tougher regime against private sector landlords who have poor management and repair records

·     a larger new building and house purchase programme

·     a promise not to sell off any of the Council's cultural assets and donated collections

·     a condition on future tendering that all bidders must wave commercial confidentiality so all information is publicly available

·     the establishment of a partnership with organisations on cultural and heritage strategy

·     an aggressive approach to identifying and taking action to bring empty housing back into use

·     establishment of ward, area and neighbourhood forums to encourage more participation in the decision making process

·     encouragement of the formation of Friends of Parks and Open Spaces

·     negotiate to ensure that there are more people with cultural experience on the Board of Fairfield Halls

·     re-open David Lean Cinema and Braithwaite Halls

·     re-formulating the Scrutiny process to ensure that proper enquiries are undertaken with organisations and individuals invited to submit their analyses and views

·     re-negotiate the agreement with the developer to have the Section 106 monies returned to the Warehouse Theatre

Labour is asking people for their ideas on reducing the Council’s back-office costs. It is very difficult for members of the public to comment on this since budget documents are not easy to understand. Labour will need to publish a lay person's guide to back office operations and costs to make it easier for people to understand and make suggestions.