Our manifesto

The Swansea and Gower Liberal Democrat manifesto can be found here.
(Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read this document - this can be downloaded here).

About us

On 10th June 2004 Labour lost control of Swansea Council because they were perceived to have lost their way. They had closed Swansea Leisure Centre and allowed the City Centre to go into decline whilst they pursued unattainable development schemes such as Castle Quays.

Labour neglected the basics and failed to listen to local people. The Welsh Liberal Democrat-led Administration is committed to changing all that. One of their first acts was to take a 20% cut in their allowances so as to fund more clean-up teams for the City Centre. They are refurbishing the Leisure Centre, work has started on redeveloping the old David Evans store, they have brought in a five year programme of investment in our roads and pavements, are improving public transport, have got the Liberty Stadium up-and-running, and they are building new schools in St. Thomas and a Welsh Medium Primary in West Cross.

Council Leader Chris Holley, Councillor Peter Black AM and Councillor Graham Thomas at the re-opened Leisure Centre

The Welsh Liberal Democrat-led Administration has done all this whilst keeping Council Tax rises at the lowest level for over a decade.

The local Council elections on 1 May 2008 saw an increased number of Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillors re-elected in Swansea. Our task now is to continue the investment that the City so badly needs after decades of neglect. That includes a comprehensive school re-building programme, a £1 billion City Centre re-development scheme over the next ten years, a new bus station and a £50 million plus revamp of High Street.

We are also determined to build on our success with cleansing. The NEAT Teams are working hard to clear up fly-tipping. We want to augment that service by introducing a comprehensive street scene programme in local communities. We will also be able to assist residents with issues such as illegal parking and drivers ignoring residents parking bays once we take charge of the traffic warden service in the autumn of 2008.

We are committed to making Swansea a greener place to live. As well as our investment in public transport and the doubling of recycling rates we plan to roll out doorstep recycling collections of garden rubbish and kitchen waste to the whole City in 2009 and also start collecting cardboard and plastics. We will promote more affordable homes and make energy efficiency schemes a priority. We remain committed to keeping Council Tax levels as low as possible, something that we achieved in our first term.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Group at the National Assembly for Wales

Making the difference in Wales!

As part of Wales' first Partnership Government the Welsh Liberal Democrats showed that they have what it takes to govern. They brought over 100 policies to the table and implemented the vast majority of them. These included the introduction of grants for Welsh students, free school milk for infants, 500 more nurses and doctors and 100 new medical training places.

In opposition they are equally focussed on making the Assembly work for Wales. They fought the Assembly election campaign in 2003 on the themes of attacking poverty, building communities and creating opportunity. Amongst the policies they were promoting were further cutting Welsh class sizes to no more than 25 so as to increase the time a teacher is able to spend with each pupil. They also argued for extending free personal care to the elderly so as to reduce bed-blocking in Welsh hospitals and enable patients to receive appropriate care in their own home or a suitable rehabilitation unit without bankrupting them.

Welsh Liberal Democrats argue strongly that if we are to reduce youth annoyance then we need to give youngsters a reason to get off street corners and engage in meaningful activity that will do them good without hitting the pockets of their parents. One way of doing this is to extend free access to sports centres at certain times for young people. These policies and the many others in their manifesto are all made in Wales for Wales.

Assembly Member Peter Black with Nick Clegg

Fighting for a better Britain

Liberal Democrats at a UK level are going from strength to strength. They have a record 63 MPs and are recognised as the effective opposition to New Labour in Westminster.

They have the second largest Parliamentary Group in Wales and control or help run Councils throughout the UK, including Swansea, Cardiff, Wrexham, Conwy and Powys. Liberal Democrats nationally have been campaigning for the abolition of tuition fees, for free personal care for the elderly and for the scrapping of Council Tax in favour of a local income tax based on people's ability to pay. They have also been fighting to keep local Post Offices open.

Liberal Democrats have just agreed policy that will take 2 million people out of paying income tax altogether and taxing polluters instead.

What we are about

"The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity."

Can you help us?

Can you spare an hour a month doing one of the following jobs?

• Door-to-door canvassing
• Delivering of leaflets / letters
• Phone surveys
• Letter writing
• Envelope stuffing
• Publicity meetings

If you would like to help out with any aspect of our campaigning, please contact us at office@swanseagowerlibdems.org.uk.