Environment

Environment and Sustainability

The Liberal Democrats believe that each generation is responsible for the fate of our planet and, by safeguarding the balance of nature and the environment, for the long term continuity of life in all its forms.   

• Local Parks
  Timperley has a lower than average number of green spaces per person and we therefore need to protect and improve the park land than we have. The Lib Dems supported the maintenance of Watling Gate as public open space. We believe our local environment should be "Clean & Green"; we would like our streets to be cleaner, and eyesores caused by litter cleaned up. The Lib Dems have increased the number of dog bins in parks. We have supported the local community in setting up Moss Park Gardens at the corner of Moss Lane and Park Road. We have been delighted that our suggestion to develop allotments in Pickering Lodge is now happening. The Lib Dems supported Altrincham and the green area near the bus station on Barrington Road that was under threat last year and the park by Shaftsbury Ave in Timperley "Timperley Green".
• Waste Recycling
  Trafford is improving its recycling rates; however the Lib Dems would like to see more progress and increased rates. We support doorstep collections, for all items that can be recycled. We would like improvements to our tipping centre at Broadheath to increase the breadth of recycling available to Trafford residents.
  The consumer and the planet are paying the price for excessive packaging. The Lib Dems are campaigning to reduce excessive packaging at a national and local level. 
• Climate Change and Flood Risk
  The Lib Dems were trailblazers in Trafford when we introduced our Climate Change Policy. Since then we have pushed for and supported all individual and borough-wide measures to reduce greenhouse gases in Trafford. Climate change is a major threat to our planet - and urgent action is needed. Liberal Democrats will lead by example by ensuring that Britain achieves its Kyoto targets well before the deadline. We will tackle traffic pollution by getting more people onto public transport. We will ensure that much more of the UK's electricity comes from safe and renewable sources.

The Liberal Democrats have published plans to protect Britain from the worst effects of flooding, as we are warned that severe flooding is due to worsen in the years ahead. We have continued to press for monitoring of potential flooding problems in Trafford.

The Government isn't taking the devastating potential of climate change seriously enough. We need to act now if we're to protect Britain from the flooding that could sweep Britain in years to come. Lib Dems believe we must invest more in our flood defences. The Government must stop building so many new homes in flood risk areas, and help families in high risk homes to get insurance. We need a comprehensive approach to flooding, brought together in a Flooding Act in Parliament to ensure changes are made quickly, and to reassure the thousands of families who are at risk of losing everything.

Planning
We hope that the new rules coming into force will, over time, make things better for local people. The Lib Dems believe in listening to local opinions and believe that people's concerns should be taken into account at each planning stage, especially on over-development issues. For example, local people should be listened to when proposals are made to build large developments of flats next to already congested roads. We are concerned about lack of parking near some metro-stations and cycle parking which is needed even outside Barrington Police Station. The current system of funding allocation means most money is conditional on implementing national government targets. 

People First

• Youth
  The youth of to-day are often seen as trouble makers, however we believe it is a small minority that spoil it for the rest. We would like to see more youth centres, and other places for the young people to socialise. After a long campaign the local Lib Dems are delighted that the Broomwood Community Centre re-building is finally complete.

The Lib Dems feel this very important service is being neglected by the Conservatives. At a time when Society is  at a low ebb because our streets, parks and the community in general is being plagued by anti-social behaviour, surely the problem should be addressed by providing more Youth Clubs and related activities to prevent boredom in our younger generation which certainly exists today. The Lib Dems would make the Youth Service one of our top priorities. 

• Elderly Citizens
  Our elderly citizens deserve better policies than that offered by Trafford Tories. We have seen the Tories cut vital services such as Day Centres and Care Homes.  Lib Dems believe that the elderly and those with disabilities should have free personal care, although Nick Clegg has acknowledged that we can't at present afford it. Many elderly people are fit and well and have a lot to contribute to their communities, we will do our best to support this work and applaud the vital role of older people. We believe care in the community should be supported and enhanced.
• Council Tax

The Lib Dems think the council tax is unfair and would introduce a better system of Local Income Tax based on ability to pay that would save most people money.

Council Tax has increased steadily year on year and it is very unfair. We believe in greater accountability and devolvement- not just in service provision but also in the ability of local governments to raise income.

• Finance
  Trafford's Council Tax set by the Conservatives at

Liberal Democrats solution to Local Government Finance is to scrap the Council Tax and introduce a fairer system based on the ability to pay, which would help pensioners and the poorest people.  It would include fair local taxes, local income tax, simple grant mechanism and re-located business rates. Currently in Trafford we only receive approximately half of the £135 business rate collected, that just cannot be fair.

Local Services and facilities 

• Altrincham Town Centre
  Lib Dems welcome the much-needed improvements in Altrincham Town Centre, but question why they took so long. The Lib Dems worked hard to save Altrincham Town Hall, which would have included a Hotel on the Town Hall site without our intervention.

Altrincham is now full of bars and restaurants. This has caused problems, particularly since the smoking ban came into force. Large groups can gather outside premises in the street to smoke; this can appear unattractive and threatening. To help combat this problem we will improve the policing of the area and promote more night bus services and taxis.

• Post Offices
  We support our local Post Offices and want to see the Post Office network protected. Closures of a local branch will affect the vulnerable people in our society. The Labour government has already closed 4000 Post Offices in Britain and under the last Conservative administration 3,500 Post Office were closed. You can trust the Lib Dems to fight for our community to keep this vital resource for everyone. Our high profile campaign helped reprieve the threat to Park Road, Post Office and we did our best to save another at risk Post Office on Brook Lane, Timperley.
• Libraries
  We do not want to see any cut backs in Library services; our local Libraries are often the centre of a local community. We understand that we live in a changing world, and we welcome new technology, but many library users are people that do not have access, or indeed have any desire to use the internet. Library Staff, are skilled staff, often with years of experience, we need to keep these not to lose them. We are disappointed that a recent re-restructuring of libraries with Trafford Direct will led to savings of £400,000 that we believe should be re-invested in the service. 
• Tory closures and demolitions

Over the last five years of Tory administration in Trafford the following have closed:

• Pownall Road Day Care Centre
• Northlea Day Centre
• Northlea Residential Home
• Atkinson Court Residential Home
• Oaklands Court Residential Home
• Hardwick House Residential Home
• The Adult Training Centre at Albert Place
  And more now announced

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