Lib Dem Council Election Manifesto

FINANCE

• Continue to push for recognition of Edinburgh’s needs in government finance distribution.

• Give voluntary organisations more funding certainty.

• Review Outlook and other council publications to ensure they’re fit for purpose.

• Assess implications of the Living Wage for all council employees.

ECONOMY

• Work with partners to attract more international investors.

• Continue the focus on development areas of West, South East, Waterfront and City Centre.

• Expand the Edinburgh Guarantee to help the young unemployed find work.

TRANSPORT

• Roll out cycle training to all P6 children.

• Maintain good condition of roads and pavements, use £3m to fix potholes.

• Increase the spend on cycling to five per cent of transport budget and improve maintenance of cycle network.

• Implement further residents’ parking zones where demanded.

• Present a revised business case of the extension of the tram line down Leith Walk and consider the best way to get trams to Little France.

CULTURE/LEISURE/SPORT

• Complete Assembly Rooms refurbishment and improvements to King’s Theatre.

• A new library in Craigmillar and enhancement of library services.

• Deliver new synthetic pitches at Jack Kane and Meadowbank Sports Centres.

• Refurbish Joppa Tennis Pavilion.

EDUCATION/CHILDREN

• Continue to prioritise high standards of educational attainment, with special attention to the lowest- achieving 20 per cent.

• Ensure all primary pupils get at least two hours of PE a week.

• Hold to class sizes of 25 in P1 and work towards smaller classes in areas of deprivation.

• Deliver Edinburgh’s first Gaelic primary school.

ENVIRONMENT

• Make Edinburgh a “green exampler” in carbon reduction and energy efficiency.

• Implement Low Emission Zones where appropriate, examine traffic flow and encourage walking, cycling and use of public transport.

• Develop at least one new allotment site each year.

• Roll out food waste collection.

• Develop a £250k micro-hydro scheme at Saughton Weir to provide renewable energy for council facilities.

HEALTH

• Improve the Home Care Service, expanding the overnight visiting service.

• Acknowledge the debt owed to unpaid carers by expanding respite services.

• Develop an Autism plan.

HOUSING

• Continue with the £170m 21st century hojmes project.

• Triple the number of affordable homes built.

• In 2012-13 deliver 1500 new kitchens and bathrooms, 780 rewired homes, 400 new energy-efficient heating systems, 300 homes with double glazing and fit 1550 new doors .

PLANNING

• Introduce projects to remove on-street parking to produce a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

• Resist breaches in the Green Belt.

• Advise that car parking in new flats should be underground.

• Seek to allow solar panels to be fitted on listed buildings.

CRIME

• Review the use of CCTV in the city to ensure it discourages crime but doesn’t infringe civil liberties.

• Maintain emphasis on prevention of crime and fires.

• Tackle the increase in hate crimes.