Next month, the choice is clear in Nottinghamshire; Liberal Democrat councillors are the only party  that can deliver a stronger economy in a fairer society, enabling everyone to get on in life.

Each neighbourhood and community has its own, unique needs. But what is the same across the country is that Liberal Democrats have the right priorities in tough times: our focus is on creating and safeguarding jobs and helping people with the cost of living. We spread the burden of austerity fairly. That’s why we’re protecting the services that people value most: the Liberal Democrats haven’t closed a single library this year, for example, compared to closures under Labour and Conservative councils.

Liberal Democrats have a strong record in local and national government and are committed to fighting for communities across the UK. Our victory in Eastleigh proves that the fighting spirit is very much alive in our party. When we’re confident about our record of delivery, both locally and nationally, we can campaign on it and win.

When you look at the record of Labour or the Tories, they squander your money on waste, inefficiency and vanity projects. For example, In Leicestershire, the former Conservative Council Leader spent  £210,000 on his own chauffeur – his council then went on to announce more than 1,000 redundancies. In Redcar & Cleveland, Labour councillors have spent £37,600 on bird monitoring.

We are continuing to perform well in local by-elections, taking seats off both the Conservatives and Labour. In Sussex, we overturned a 1,000 Tory majority. Last year, we made net gains of five council seats in 2012 while the Tories have ended the year with a net loss of 15.

Proud local record

The party’s success is determined by the strength of our local campaigns and on our record of action which shows we’re delivering both locally and nationally.

Our councillors have proud records locally, standing up for local people:

• No library will be closed in any Lib Dem-run or Lib Dem-led authorities this year

  • Northumberland County Council, Portsmouth and Stockport are opening new ones

• Liberal Democrats are helping businesses and customers to get their economies moving with investment in roads and public transport.

  • Northumberland Lib Dems have filled 34,000 potholes last year

  • Bedford Liberal Democrats are investing in its rural bus network with the introduction of Sunday and evening bus services.

• Our councils are boosting public services – with schemes that generate income or savings for residents:

  • Eastbourne’s Solarbourne Partnership generating an annual income of £200-250,000

  • Colchester’s solar panels giving free electricity to 800 tenants and an income of £70,000 p.a. to residents

  • South Lakeland’s pioneering energy switching to better deal on electricity helping thousands of residents save hundreds of pounds on their fuel bills.

• Liberal Democrats are focusing on jobs

  • Eastleigh is creating 500 new jobs at the Rose Bowl

  • Eastbourne’s investment in their town centre has seen empty shops fall to nearly half the national average and attracted a massive expansion of the Arndale shopping centre bringing 500 jobs there too.

  • Bath & North East Somerset’s Guildhall Creative co-working Hub is helping new micro business start-up

  • Oadby and Wigston’s renovation project turned a derelict factory into small start-up units for businesses

• Liberal Democrats are investing in homes with the 200 new council houses being built in Portsmouth and 650 in Cambridge.

We listen to local people and give them a voice in decisions made about their communities. In power we work to strengthen the local economy while ensuring we protect the services people most value, and to protect the most vulnerable in society.

Proud national record

Liberal Democrats are delivering for people across the nation, working across the UK for the millions, not the millionaires. We have not retreated from our responsibility to act in the national interest and we will not miss the opportunity we have to build a greener, fairer and more liberal Britain.

In April, Liberal Democrat policy will:

1. Give £1.9bn extra to our schools, aimed at the most disadvantaged pupils

2. Raise the Income Tax threshold again, increasing the number of people lifted out of paying income tax altogether to more than 2 million

3. Give nearly 25m people a further Income Tax cut, bringing the total amount to £600 since Labour’s last year in office.

4. Ensure pensioners on the full state pension get a 2.5% a week increase in their pensions, more than inflation or rise in earnings would have given them thanks to our triple lock.

 

On May 2nd help give Nottinghamshire the boost it needs by voting for a Liberal Democrat to be your County Councillor.

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