Bishop’s Stortford Town Council elections: Labour, Lib Dems and Tories outline their plans if they win control on May 4
Bishop's Stortford Town Council is responsible for a range of services for residents and visitors.
These include management of cemeteries, allotments, St Michael's churchyard, playgrounds, parks, the splash pool in Sworder's Field and the Tourist Information Centre in Market Square.
It also owns and administers community centres and minibuses as well as several charitable trusts and organises annual events including the carnival, the Remembrance Day service and Christmas fayre.
Each year, the council tax precept supports South Mill Arts with a grant of around £250,000.
The Indie asked the three main political parties vying to take control of the council on Thursday (May 4) to set out their manifesto. The Green Party is fielding no candidates.
Liberal Democrats
Growth of Bishop's Stortford over recent years has greatly changed the character of our town and the role of the town council, which now has the task of providing a renewed sense of identity and strong community leadership.
The Liberal Democrats would provide that leadership by speaking up for the needs and interests of Bishop's Stortford residents, undertaking regular listening exercises and making sure the town council represents residents' views on important matters like new developments.
The Liberal Democrats would prioritise improvements to the town council-owned allotments, the renewal of play areas and investment in community centres.
We would work closely with the BID (Business Improvement District) and seek to improve the market to make Bishop's Stortford a thriving place to shop and visit.
The town council has greatly reduced its carbon emissions following a Lib Dem initiative in the last council and we will continue to push for this to continue, with further reductions at community centres.
We would use the town council's influence to improve walking and cycling routes across Bishop's Stortford and provide support to increase community bus services, to help tackle the congestion and air quality at hotspots across the town.
Our growing town needs improved community arts and sports provision. We would work to support the efforts to save Water Lane United Reformed Church Hall, plans to develop the arts in the town and the most effective way of securing new much-needed sports facilities.
Labour
A voice for the town – Labour will continue the good work on modernising the town council. We need a proactive town council, advocating for the town at district and county levels, taking initiatives and working in partnership.
Planning and environment – Labour will implement the neglected Stortford Walking and Cycling Strategy, prioritised in 2019 and not touched since. We will use the already-earmarked £150,000 improvement fund to lever in more funds, to get safety, signage and route improvements done.
We will make the planning committee more effective by demanding follow-up involvement in major schemes, getting planning officer engagement and appointing a local design scrutiny panel.
Capital spending – Labour will invest in children’s playspaces, neighbourhood parks and informal green spaces which benefit the community.
In partnership with Hertfordshire County Council, we will improve footpaths between houses and through spaces.
We would improve the river path as a key route for the town.
In shopping parades, we will provide cycle parking and an improved environment for pedestrians, wheelchair users, parents and buggies. Labour will hold back some capital for direct works.
Where town and district interests are in conflict – When a town councillor has a leading role in district council finance, property or planning, [they should] stand aside from related town council interests to ensure clarity, transparency and true local representation.
Continuity and partnership – Labour recognises the foundations of good work the town council does and will maintain and build on these successes.
This means working together in the interests of our town, strengthening our communities and culture, and growing partnerships with businesses and charitable bodies.
Conservatives
Over the past four years, Conservative-run Bishop's Stortford Town Council has delivered an ambitious investment programme for our town.
Our sports and leisure strategy has been the most ambitious the town council has ever undertaken.
We are delivering a £3m investment in Castle Park including new tennis courts, new skate park and new pump track, as well as improvements to paths and the natural environment. We have offered hundreds of thousands of pounds of grants to schools and sports clubs to deliver new facilities.
We have ringfenced £2.5m to invest in a new 40-acre sports facility being planned for the north of Bishop's Stortford.
We are delivering a comprehensive arts strategy which includes small grants and a £3m investment in South Mill Arts.
We are purchasing three community centres to enable us to fully invest in vital community facilities.
The environment is critically important to our town. This is why we are investing in green energy sources and buying only green electricity.
We have invested in an electric van. We have bought land for 40 new allotments and are supporting the Bishop's Stortford Community Orchard Group.
All of this has been achieved whilst keeping the town council's share of your council tax bill at 10% below the rate charged in 2008.
Over the next four years, we want to continue implementing these plans while keeping our share of council tax low.
We want to build on the success of the summer carnival and Christmas fayre and continue to support our increasingly successful markets.
We remain committed to delivering new cycle routes through our town.