The Labour members of Brentwood Borough Council have been working hard on your behalf since the last election to ensure that frontline services are protected in the face of unprecedented funding cuts. Now is the time for action. To highlight our intentions and the difference we could make, we have produced our Manifesto for Brentwood which outlines our five pledges to the residents of Brentwood.
Pledge 1: Provide a decent standard of living for the many, not the few
We will:
- seek accreditation for the Council as a Living Wage employer;
- create apprenticeships for young people within the Council and the community;
- end the failure to house the homeless in our community by building accommodation in Brentwood;
- increase security for tenants by encouraging long-term tenancies and re-establish lifetime homes for social tenants;
- require private landlord accreditation to provide decent accommodation and support private sector tenants.
Pledge 2: Deliver the new homes our Borough needs, whilst protecting our green spaces
We will:
- commit to building enough homes within five years to end our housing waiting list;
- introduce new modern standards for housebuilding and design including zero-carbon homes;
- also give local people buying their first home ‘first dibs’ on new homes built in their area to give them confidence that new homes will be available to them and their families;
- provide additional homes by bringing empty houses back into use and removing the council tax subsidy for second and empty home owners;
- ensure that local plans in our towns, parishes and villages address the need for older people’s housing, ensuring that choice and downsizing options are readily available;
- ensure that key workers can live locally in our Borough;
- support only proposal where roads, transport, schools, green spaces and surgeries are guaranteed.
Pledge 3: Champion the community with real support for voluntary groups and public services
We will:
- secure long-term, stable funding for groups like Brentwood Community Transport, Citizens Advice and our Council for Voluntary Services;
- back actions that seek to improve the Borough’s local health provision and support the Mental Health Challenge;
- provide the resources needed to end rough sleeping in Brentwood;
- use our role in Public Health planning to demand expansion of local NHS services;
- use all avenues to protect our post offices, pharmacies, high street banks, sports clubs, pubs and independent shops.
Pledge 4: Demand more from the County Council to improve education and roads
We will:
- work with the County Council to plan primary school places to anticipate demand;
- reverse bus route cuts to improve access from rural communities to services such as hospitals;
- campaign for our street lights to be turned back on through investment in efficient LED lighting;
- develop more 20mph zones in residential areas;
- work tirelessly to improve response time to repair roads, fill potholes, replace broken paving and make cyclists safe.
Pledge 5: Breathe new life into our community and promote our location as a great place for business.
We will:
- encourage more businesses to move to Brentwood by targeting reductions in business rates;
- create a new parking strategy that reduces price and increases spaces throughout the borough;
- ensure high standards of street cleaning across the borough;
- increase tourism by advertising our heritage & leisure facilities;
- support local entrepreneurs to start business and provide mentorship.
BRENTWOOD DESERVES BETTER