Putting power back in local hands: A Welsh Conservative Plan for Wales

Welsh Conservatives are today launching their manifesto for the local government elections, including a six-point-plan for a Wales that works for everyone.
 
The manifesto launch is taking place at Star Inn, Dinas Powys, and Welsh Conservatives are calling on communities to reject Labour’s ‘top-down’ approach and place power in local hands.
 
The Welsh Conservatives’ ‘Plan for Wales’ includes a pledge to offer households fairer council tax bills, regular refuse collections, and better support for armed forces heroes.
 
Welsh Conservative councils will also support local businesses by revitalising high streets and procuring services locally wherever possible. There are also plans to protect our environment by encouraging better recycling and by ensuring that development is restricted to appropriate sites.
 
Speaking ahead of the launch, Shadow Local Government Secretary – Janet Finch-Saunders AM – warned that Labour and Plaid-led councils were holding back Welsh communities with a “complacency” that has seen council tax bills rise, high streets deteriorate, and picturesque green spaces diminish.
 
Our Plan for Wales
A Welsh Conservative council would:
 
       Honour local armed forces heroes
       Support local businesses
       Deliver value for money, including fairer council tax bills
       Protect the environment
       Support future generations
       Safeguard services for those in need
 
Vale of Glamorgan MP and Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns MP, said:
 
“Welsh Conservatives believe in strong and effective local government that is accountable and delivers high quality public services that matter most to you and your family. We will build a strong local economy where everyone plays by the same rules.
 
“As we get on with the job of delivering Brexit, we have an important opportunity to create a fairer Wales. We want to emerge from this period of national change stronger, fairer, more united and more outward-looking than ever before.
 
“We believe that local government is central to this vision.”
 
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies, said:
 
“The Labour Party can no longer claim to represent local communities. Their plans to force councils across Wales to merge would have taken power away from local people and wiped many areas off the map.
 
“Areas like Monmouthshire, the Vale of Glamorgan and Conwy in which
 
“Councils play a hugely important role in shaping the vital public services in your community, but they must be accountable and open to the people they serve.
 
“We want to see policies developed locally and decisions taken as close as possible to you and your community.
 
“You only have to look to Monmouthshire Council to see how effective Welsh Conservative policies can be in delivering for local communities.”
 
Shadow Local Government Secretary, Janet Finch-Saunders, said:
 
“Labour and Plaid Cymru-led councils continue to hold back our communities with a complacency that has seen our high streets deteriorate, picturesque green spaces diminish, and council tax bills spiraling out of control.
 
“In Conwy, the Labour/Plaid council has moved to monthly bin collections, asking residents to pay more for less in terms of public services.
 
“The evidence is piling up, and so are your bin bags. Only the Welsh Conservatives can clean up after Labour’s mess”.
 
Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Conservative Group, Cllr John Thomas, said:
 
“Our plan for local government puts power back in your hands and will ensure your local council delivers effective local services that work for everyone.
 
“Here in the Vale, Labour’s council tax hikes have cost the residents almost £600; we’ve seen little or no improvements to transport infrastructure in the Eastern Vale; and communities have faced a desperate fight to stop local schools from closing.
 
“Our plan for the Vale will deliver fairer council tax bills, regular refuse collections, and much-needed improvements to our creaking infrastructure.
 
“Your vote on May 4th matters more than ever and a vote for the Welsh Conservatives will mean high quality public services and local decision making for the good of communities across Wales.”