Aberdeen Liberal Democrats Delivering for Aberdeen, Delivering for YOU

2012 Manifesto

Aberdeen is a great place to live, work and raise a family. I am delighted that over the past nine years the Liberal Democrat Team have been able to enhance the quality of life in our city by securing many improvements, ensuring there are facilities throughout to meet the needs of all. We have a fantastic team of Liberal Democrats who are here to work for the people of Aberdeen and to ensure Aberdeen remains a prosperous and vibrant city. We all recognise the changing needs of the residents within our communities, and wish to maintain a good quality of life for our disabled and most vulnerable citizens here in the city. To guarantee this however, it is crucial that we keep local politics, local. That is why for us, as Liberal Democrats, people come before politics and we always consider this when faced with difficult decisions. Our team remain heavily committed to ensuring that Education remains a priority as evidenced by our investment in 10 new schools over the past 6 years. As we continue to look at new ways in which to promote the city of Aberdeen, the Liberal Democrats are giving their full support to our bid to have Aberdeen recognised as the City of Culture for 2017. The Liberal Democrat vision continues to be aspirational. We will continue to put Aberdeen first, be open and strive for fair and just treatment from the Scottish Government, which this city and its people deserves.

Welcome

Aileen Malone Liberal Democrat Group Leader

Introduction
Under Leadership of local Liberal Democrats over the last nine years Aberdeen City Council has delivered for the people of Aberdeen. Under Liberal Democrat leadership Aberdeen City Council has: Put the Council on a secure financial footing, with long-term planning based on priorities for our city, not politics. Invested over 110 million in education with 10 new schools opened. Helped secure almost 100 million investment in seven major new sports facilities, including Aberdeen Sports Village and Aberdeens new 50 metre swimming pool. Built the first new family Council housing in Aberdeen in a generation. Started the regeneration of our city centre, with the refurbishment of Marischal College and the Green Townscape heritage initiative. Committed to major infrastructure development including the 3rd Don Crossing, Haudagain Roundabout improvements and the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. Made our city safer through the introduction of City Wardens and Taxi Marshals. Transformed our Social Care services. Boosted household recycling from just 6% under Labour to 37%.

Why the Lib Dems?

Our Vision and Aspirations

Our continuing aspirations for Aberdeen and its citizens are outlined in this document. Key to delivering these aspirations will be achieving fairer treatment for our city and its citizens from the Scottish Government. We will continue to oppose the SNP Governments policies of centralisation. Unlike other parties, our priorities will always reflect the best interests of Aberdeen and its citizens.

Empowering Aberdeens Citizens

Liberal Democrats are committed to subsidiarity and the empowerment of communities and individuals. We are concerned the SNP Scottish Government is centralising, not devolving, power within Scotland. In empowering Aberdeens citizens and communities a Liberal Democrat led council will:

Recognise it is citizens and communities, rather than the City Council, that are best placed to decide what services they require. Seek to give greater control over appropriate services and facilities to local communities. Work to revitalise the citys network of community councils and, over time as they acquire greater democratic legitimacy, give them a greater role in Aberdeens governance. Develop innovative means of involving citizens in the work of the City Council including, but not limited to:

Reviewing the provisions for Public Questions at City Council committee meetings, with the intention of making it easier for people to ask topical questions. Establishing a Public Petitions Committee, chaired by an opposition councillor, which will receive and consider how best to deal with petitions from members of the public.

Education
In prioritising the education of our citys children and young people, a Liberal Democrat led council will: Invest in front line education services and prioritise the allocation of available resources to ensure there is an appropriate teacher/pupil ratio. Modernise the citys schools estate so it meets the needs of Aberdeens children and young people now and into the future. Build closer links between our secondary schools, colleges and our universities to improve connections and educational opportunities best suited to the abilities and skills of our young people, as well as adults returning to education. Develop the successful virtual campus. Continue to encourage and create alternative opportunities for those pupils who have disengaged from the formal education system, including Improving opportunities for vocational training and apprenticeships. Stimulate the uptake of new technologies and developments to improve the employment chances of those in education and training at all levels. Roll out breakfast clubs across all city primary schools.

Arts, Culture and Sport

In developing Aberdeens artistic, cultural and sporting life, a Liberal Democrat led council will: Support the redevelopment of Aberdeen Art Gallery as an important beacon of arts and culture in our city. Continue to attract high quality exhibitions and events to the City. Actively pursue the 2017 City of Culture title. Reinforce help for voluntary-led community centres with encouragement for communities to develop activities and programmes appropriate for their area. Ensure Aberdeen maximises the benefits from the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games by working to attract training camps to the City. Promote the development of initiatives in sports, exercise and nutrition to improve the health and well-being of residents in our city. Accept the result of the City Gardens referendum, recognising that the projects business plan will be subject to robust scrutiny in order to ensure its delivery is affordable. We recognise that in relation to any future planning application it is of course for individual councillors to reach a view based on planning considerations. Enhance cultural access and participation. Expand community based arts education and arts development work for all ages and abilities. Work with partners to explore opportunities to develop a museum with special emphasis on local history, including the history of the granite industry.

Housing

In playing its part in ensuring Aberdeens citizens have appropriate and affordable housing, a Liberal Democrat led council will: Continue to invest in Aberdeen City Councils housing stock to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. Ensure that there is budget provision for environmental improvements in and around our housing stock such as communal painting and communal gardens. Work with all partners to continue to deliver additional social housing across the city. Roll out new security measures across the City Councils multi-storey housing blocks. Enforce the residents parking permit system for car parks within our multi-storey city centre housing areas to ensure fee paying residents are able to access their spaces.

Protecting Our Local and Global Environment

In protecting and enhancing our local and global environment, a Liberal Democrat led council will:

Continue to invest in Aberdeens award-winning parks and gardens and encourage access for all citizens. Support and encourage the establishment of Friends groups for Aberdeens parks. Promote and improve woodland and green spaces in our city. Ensure every household has access to easy-to-use recycling facilities by 2017. Increase household recycling levels to 60% by 2022. Reduce the level of household waste going to landfill by 5% by 2017.

Transport
In ensuring that Aberdeen has the local, national and international transport links required to appropriately serve our city, its citizens and businesses, a Liberal Democrat led council will: In acknowledging the hardship being faced by the travelling public as a result of increases in bus fares and reductions in service frequencies: Work with Liberal Democrat parliamentarians and others for a review of the bus regulatory regime. Work to secure greater competition in local bus services. Investigate establishing a bus quality contract for Aberdeen.

Encourage reductions in road traffic noise and anti-social driving so as to lower impact on health and safety for residents. Support further measures to encourage safe walking and cycling. Work with Aberdeen Cycle Forum to deliver our shared vision of making Aberdeen a cyclist friendly city. Complete the 3rd Don Crossing and facilitate the completion of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and Haudagain roundabout improvements. Instruct a review of all radial routes in Aberdeen, including Lang Stracht, Wellington Road and King Street to ensure they are fit for purpose for all modes of transport. Continue to invest, sustainably, in Aberdeens roads, pavements and streetlighting. Work with partners, including Aberdeenshire Council and Nestrans, to secure improved regional, national and international road, rail, ferry and air links for Aberdeen City and Shire.

Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure

To deliver sustainable economic growth, a Liberal Democrat led council will: Promote the creation of new commercial opportunities for national and international energy and non-energy industries, to locate and grow in Aberdeen. Work with our partners in Aberdeenshire Council and others to further stimulate sustainable economic development and maintain the North Easts position as one of Europes most successful economic regions. Encourage collaborations of our entrepreneurs in universities, colleges and the private sector to develop businesses, services and employment opportunities in the city. Work to promote the economic conditions for small and medium scale enterprises to flourish in Aberdeen. Maximise the opportunities for the City Council, business communities and citizens to benefit from renewable and sustainable energy projects. Work in partnership with the academic, business and other relevant sectors to ensure the long term future of the energy industry. Collaborate with other Scottish interests in sustaining links in bus, rail and air transport, locally, nationally and internationally. Lobby for improved Broadband services for business users and to improve connections between friends and families in the City and elsewhere. Deliver people-friendly facilities and new homes in Aberdeen to allow families to stay in our city. Ensure any development of the St. Nicholas House site is sensitive to Provost Skene's House and Marischal College.

Social Care

In providing empathetic social care, a Liberal Democrat led council will: Support greater personalisation of care. In recognising the increasing numbers of our senior citizens, work to help people stay in their own home and community for as long as possible. Continue to seek to support young people to receive care within Aberdeen, through fostering, adoption and a new care facility. Seek to reduce out of authority placements. Pursue the development of the local authority trading company to deliver selected social care services. Implement policies to maintain the quality of life of disabled citizens in our community.

Finance and Resources

In addressing the ongoing challenges of delivering services that citizens depend upon with finite resources, a Liberal Democrat led Council will: Campaign for a fair deal for Aberdeen from the Scottish Government and specifically seek in the short term an increase in the funding floor from the current 85% to 90% of the Scottish average per citizen. Continue to implement the Five Year Business Plan, and commit to engage with stakeholders as we develop further long-term financial and service plans. Seek to deliver services in-house or in partnership with others which are sustainable, achieve best value and protect front line services. Ensure the Councils lowest paid staff receive a living wage for Aberdeen. Campaign for more fiscal freedom, greater power for local government and increased autonomy for our city.

Community Safety

In building on our achievements in making Aberdeen a leader in community safety, a Liberal Democrat led council will:

Improve safety and wellbeing by continuing to invest in anti-social behaviour teams, Taxi Marshals, City Wardens and other community safety projects. Develop shared frontline working practices by formalising and extending community safety teamwork at strategic level and in the community in each local area. Establish a City Council committee on public protection to work with and support the emergency services and to protect victims of crime and anti-social behaviour. The committee will robustly monitor the performance and resourcing of local service delivery and will hold the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer to account. Create a city commission to identify and agree specific integrated solutions for tackling the health and social problems caused by misuse of alcohol and drugs.

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