Alison Seabeck, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View added: “George’s Osborne’s Budget gave millionaires tax cuts and put tax on pasties. This should tell you all you need to know about how out of touch the Government has become. Whilst the Chancellor is in the mood for turning, perhaps now he should turn his attention to his woeful economic policies that have produced this double dip recession that is hurting businesses in Plymouth.”

“Today bleak news confirms what many in Plymouth know all too well – that the Government’s economic policies are hurting but they are not working. Sticking to a failing economic plan is not leadership, its foolhardy. What businesses and employers in Plymouth need is an economic policy that makes it easier for them to do business within a growing economy where people feel confident to spend money, make investments and employ others.

“On 3 May voters in Plymouth will have their say on how well this Government is doing and how well the Tory Council has done. To get to the polling station many will cross potholed roads and meet people who are out of work not through any lack of will but through a failure of the Tory’s economic plans. Plymouth deserves better and if Labour wins on 3 May in Plymouth getting people back into work will be our top priority.”

Labour’s Jobs and Growth manifesto published last month for the local elections makes ten pledges:

1. Issue a new plan for jobs, with a specific focus on jobs for young people. Retaining young people and graduates in the city must become a priority. We must also encourage all employers, trade unions and agencies to tackle worklessness and unemployment. We will continue to support adult learning, encourage skills training and basic skills training opportunities around the city with all sectors playing a part. We are committed to fulfilling Plymouth’s growth agenda.

2. Create an investment fund – Plymouth Building for Jobs – for the City to back a range of businesses, – whether large or small, private, mutual or joint venture which will grow jobs and the economy.

3. Boost local purchasing through an overhaul of the way the council procures goods and services from others.

4. Make sure the council takes more care to keep an open-door policy for business within Plymouth and with inward investors.

5. Begin a campaign to halt and reverse the decline in retailers in our city centre. We need to redouble efforts to improve our shopping offer.

6. Restate our support for the Royal Navy’s presence in Plymouth and the importance of the Royal Marines to our economy.

7. Support the development of skills in the workplace by signing a Learning Agreement with Trades Unions. We will also seek to expand the range of apprenticeships offered by the council and encourage other employers to take on more.

8. Continue to work with the University and partners to promote Plymouth as a global centre for marine matters – energy, engineering and science. We also want to support more social enterprises, building on the University’s national leadership in that sector.

9. Improve internet connectivity – we want to help Plymouth become a hub for high-technology companies. Providing the fastest and city-wide complete coverage will be essential if we are to succeed in helping entrepreneurs and the University to keep spin-outs from research.

10. We will begin the process of creating a new Community Economic Development Trust for the north of the City, to replicate the success of Wolseley and Millfields Trusts in an area needing employment opportunities.

The budget has introduced 20% VAT on hot pasties, 20% VAT on improvements to church buildings, 20% VAT on improvements to listed buildings, and 20% VAT on holidays in fixed caravans.

For the heritage, tourism & leisure sector in the South West, already struggling in a tough economic climate, this is another body blow and the extra costs in alterations to listed buildings represents a possible future additional cost to Plymouth council taxpayers by hiking the cost of any necessary adaptations to the Civic Centre.

Sites like Woodlands Fort, Crownhill where local people are struggling with the cost of repairs before they even get to the desire to adapt and improve this community resource, will simply have to stand back and watch it decay.

The 20% pasty tax is already having an impact on local businesses and jobs, speaking in the budget debate at Westminster, Alison Seabeck MP said; “We also have a pasty industry in Devon. He is talking about job losses and I have already come across workers for pasty companies in Cornwall who live in Plymouth and who are already on a three-day week. It is already having an impact and it will get much worse.”

In votes in the House of Commons, Labour MP Alison Seabeck voted against the Pasty tax but despite a number of MPs rebelling against their government the majority failed to stand up for the interests of the region and voted for the tax hike on local businesses, tourists & consumers.

Plymouth’s Labour MP, Alison Seabeck said; “This is just another attack on people in Plymouth and across the South West by an increasingly out of touch Tory government. They’ve already hit working families with cuts to tax credits.

“Now they’re choosing to hit vital local industries – tourism and leisure; the 20% tax hike on pasties will have a disproportionate impact in the South West. This is an incompetent government which hasn’t fully thought through the implications for the public on jobs and living standards and whose priorities are all wrong.”

Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of the Labour Group on Plymouth City Council said; “The Budget has not only produced a series of damaging tax hikes that will hit Plymouth hard but it has also shown that not all of Plymouth’s MPs will vote to support local jobs.

“I applaud Alison Seabeck and unusually Gary Streeter for opposing the pasty tax. Voters in Plymouth will be wondering why Oliver Colvile chose to turn his back on his constituency and local opinion to vote for the pasty tax.”

Plymouth Labour Party has launched its full 2012 City Council manifesto promising a new vision for Plymouth. The 100 point plan has been created following thousands of doorstep conversations had across Plymouth in the last year.

Launching the manifesto, Cllr Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth’s Labour Group said; “I think this is the most exciting manifesto Labour has produced in many years. Elections are fought often on negative campaigns because quite often political parties have little to say that is fresh or exciting. But this programme, with its 100 pledges for action, gives all voters something positive to vote for. It is a vision of how to create a fairer, greener, cleaner Plymouth where more people can share in prosperity.”

“Plymouth needs a new sense of purpose to tackle the scar of unemployment, housing shortages and the state of our streets. We need to start punching above our weight as a city again. Labour has ambition but also the plan to make things happen.”

Plymouth Labour launched the environment section of the manifesto last week which detailed plans by the party to continue to oppose the Devonport incinerator and to extend recycling across the city.

The ten-section manifesto outlines how Labour would create a new, more open City Council. Included in the manifesto are plans to overhaul transparency in the way the Council operates, create new jobs, address the pressing jobs and housing crises across Plymouth.

Cllr Pete Smith, Labour’s Deputy Leader on the Council, added: “For the last year the Tory Council has been drifting without a clear vision of where they want to take Plymouth. Combined with deep cuts from Government we need a new way of operating as a Council if we are to protect public services and restore a sense of pride in our city. I’m a candidate in this election and I am proud to stand on a manifesto that so many people have fed into. This was not created in a Committee room but on the doorstep in every ward in Plymouth.”

Plymouth Labour is also making five top promises to voters in the May elections:

1. A new plan for jobs, to get our young people back to work.
2. Keep our roads and pavements clean and in good repair.
3. Encourage more homes to be available to rent or buy.
4. A new deal for older people’s care.
5. Campaigning to bring down crime and keep Plymouth safe.

The full manifesto, that builds on these promises, can be downloaded from http://is.gd/PlymouthLabour2012 [pdf]. Plymouth Labour also intends to make social media history by being the first party to tweet every pledge to spread knowledge of what Labour is proposing.

Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of the Labour group, said: “Our environment manifesto outlines a clear determination to make Plymouth a greener, cleaner and more pleasant city. Plymouth faces many environmental challenges from dealing with our waste, to protecting our green spaces and to improving the cleanliness of our streets.”

“We have prepared this manifesto based on thousands of doorstep conversations. That’s why we know that introducing better recycling, maintaining weekly bin collections and trialling collection of food waste and glass is not only popular, it is also the right thing to do. We have looked carefully at what other councils are doing and that’s why we know that we can introduce affordable technology to keep our streets clear of dog mess and create new ways of tackling fuel poverty by creating energy co-operatives.”

Councillor Brian Vincent, who speaks for Labour on environment matters, said: “Whether it is about tackling carbon, problems with rubbish or clearing up dog mess on our city’s streets this manifesto responds to the concerns that have been raised with us on the doorstep. The Tory Council has failed to tackle the environmental challenges facing the city – Labour will not shirk from the huge environmental task at hand.”

Labour’s Environment mini-manifesto contains ten pledges to make Plymouth greener, cleaner and more pleasant:

1. We will oppose the incinerator. We do not support an incinerator in the Naval Base but will inherit one being built from the Tory Council. We will work to ensure long-term alternatives to incineration are developed to ensure this is the last one the Council ever builds.

2. We will set a target of cutting carbon emissions with the medium-term aim of making Plymouth a carbon-neutral council. Declare that Plymouth will tackle climate change by promoting efficiency in its public buildings and create a co-operative, open to all citizens, to negotiate better prices for domestic consumers of gas and electricity. We will also create a community co-operative to exploit Plymouth’s southern latitude for solar energy generation.

3. Introduce a Green Workplaces Scheme to encourage council staff to work with their managers to reduce carbon, encourage sustainability and save money.

4. Our recycling rates are a disgrace. We know it is not residents but the Council that stands in the way of greater recycling. We will promote doorstep glass recycling as a priority, and study how other councils have successfully recycled food waste. We will introduce a City Recycling challenge by adopting the successful Manchester scheme of communities competing to raise recycling rates. We want recycling rates to increase to 40% in four years’ time and 50% by 2020.

5. Keep dog waste bins regularly emptied. It is not fair to get tough with irresponsible dog owners if the Council doesn’t do its bit too.

6. Buy a ‘fido’ and a ‘poover’ to keep pavements and playing fields free of dog mess. These machines are designed to easily remove harmful dog waste safely and quickly.

7. Expand allotments by 100 plots in the next 10 years and encourage small scale Land Share schemes to use derelict council land for communityfood growing projects and community orchards.

8. The Tory Council has built on Central Park against the will of local residents. We will restate our commitment to protect Central Park as ‘Plymouth’s Green Lung’.

9. Introduce a Plymouth App for smart phones to speed up clearance of fly tipping, graffiti, fly posting and other problems. This is already used successfully in other London councils, with Lambeth leading the way.

10. We want to see furniture recycling, refurbishment and re-use be expanded and we will look at third sector providers to assist us. Other Councils have extended it to other products, including paint, diverting from incineration or landfill.

Plymouth Labour is demanding action from the Conservative-run Plymouth City Council to replace a ripped and embarrassing Union Flag being flown over the Hoe. The Union flag which is currently being flown is torn and ripped.

Councillor Brian Vincent, former Lord Mayor and Labour’s spokesperson for the Hoe and Foreshore said: “As a former Lord Mayor I feel the need to speak out about this. In the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics where people are going the extra mile to celebrate being British it is embarrassing and offensive that the Council is flying a ripped and torn Union flag. Why has the City Council not invested in a new flag, one we can all be proud of? It is just embarrassing that this is the image we present to residents and tourists – ripped and neglected. Plymouth deserves better.”

“I have written to the Leader of the Tory Council and demanded she takes immediate action to replace this flag. A new flag can cost less than £50.”

Councillor Ian Tuffin, Labour councillor for St Peter and the Waterfront ward where the flag is being flown added: “Flying a ripped flag is just another example of this Tory Council not getting the basics right. We all remember the debacle over the Mayflower Steps last year and the West Hoe Pier. The Tories want a new pier but they cannot even look after the piers they’ve got. We need a Council that is focused less on massive pet projects and more on getting the basics right for taxpayers.”

Plymouth Labour’s invitation comes only a few days after the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in Gateshead where Lib Dem activists voted to reject the Government’s NHS reforms.

Councillor Tudor Evans said: “Lib Dem voters in Plymouth are telling me that they feel let down by Nick Clegg and ashamed of their party’s U-turns on the NHS and tuition fees. Many recognise that going into coalition was the only option available to the Liberal Democrats after the last General Election but their conduct in coalition is within their control – and they’ve let their own voters down.”

Jon Taylor, Labour’s candidate in Budshead, who works in the NHS said: “It is no wonder Lib Dem voters feel betrayed – their MPs are voting through the privatisation of the NHS and are closing their ears to the legitimate concerns of people in Plymouth about these reforms.”

It comes after the latest private canvassing figures for Plymouth Labour show a continuing collapse in support for the Liberal Democrats across Plymouth. National opinion polling puts Nick Clegg’s party on 8%, some 32% behind Labour.

Councillor Evans added: “Labour in Plymouth is focussed on defeating the Tories and their agenda of cuts in this city. I am inviting those people who have either campaigned for the Lib Dems or those who have voted for Nick Clegg and now feel let down to join us in sending a message to this Government. Your economic plans aren’t working and your NHS reforms will damage patient care – it is time for you to change course.”

Plymouth Labour is preparing to launch its manifesto for the City Council elections in the coming weeks.

Labour’s full slate of candidates includes veteran Councillor and Dockyard Industrial Secretary, Pete Smith, who is standing for re-election in Honicknowle ward and former Plymouth Youth Parliament member and Notre Dame student Kate Taylor, 18, who is standing in Devonport. If elected in May we believe Kate Taylor would be Devon’s youngest ever councillor.

Cllr Tudor Evans, Leader of the Labour Group said: “May’s elections come at a crunch time for our city. Over the next few months Labour will be outlining a vision for a more vibrant, fairer and successful city that will see more people back in work, a more transparent and open Council and priorities aligned to what Plymouth residents want.”

“Thanks to the terrible legacy of Tory neglect and financial mismanagement whoever wins the elections will have a tough challenge to put the Council back on the right track. This Tory Council have run out of ideas and what Labour will be offering is a positive alternative that restores the pride in our city and helps us weather the economic storms.

Kate Taylor, Labour’s candidate in Devonport ward said: “It is an honour to stand in Devonport. Since being selected l have been speaking to local residents who feel let down by the Council. There can be no better example of how out of touch the Tories are than their plans which Labour will continue to oppose for a massive incinerator in Devonport. I have not met one single voter, Labour, Tory or otherwise who supports it and I will be making fighting against it the centre of the campaign in Devonport.”

Alison Seabeck MP, Labour’s MP for Plymouth Moor View said: “Labour has a first class team of Councillors and I continue to be impressed by the passion and commitment of our candidates across the city. The 2012 elections will be very close in Plymouth. The Tories are desperate to hold onto power but you only need to look at the state of our roads and all the potholes to know that the Tories aren’t working. Whether it is on local issues such as the state of the roads or rubbish collection or national issues such as Tory and Lib Dem plans to privatise the NHS and cut police numbers there’s a real fight on and Labour is up for the job.”

Labour is standing a full slate of candidates in every ward. Labour candidates include:

Budshead – Jon Taylor
Compton – Neil Hendy
Devonport – Kate Taylor
Efford & Lipson – Brian Vincent*
Egbuckland – Paul Jarvis
Ham – Tina Tuohy*
Honicknowle – Pete Smith*
Moor View – Mike Fox
Peverell – Steve Randall
Plympton Chaddlewood – Mark Thompson
Plympton Erle – Chris Mavin
Plympton St Mary – Seetha Cheeseman
Plymstock Dunstone – Prathees Kishore
Plymstock Radford – Shirley Smith
St Budeaux – Danny Damarell
St Peter & The Waterfront – Ian Tuffin*
Southway – Lorraine Parker
Stoke – Sam Davey
Sutton & Mount Gould – Eddie Rennie

* denotes currently a sitting councillor

Retired social worker, Shirley Smith, who doubled the Labour vote when she contested the Plymstock Radford ward in the local elections this year was elected unanimously by local party members.

Shirley said: “Labour is making a come back in Plymstock. We know from our doorstep canvassing that people are struggling to find work locally, that our roads are getting worse and the Council is supporting a lot of inappropriate development in Plymstock.

“Restarting the Plymstock Labour Party is just the start of a new effort by Labour to win in the local elections in May. Over the next few months we will be launching a big membership drive and will be campaigning against local police cuts.”

After many years of decline of local parties the national Labour Party has been encouraging branches to be set up again. Plymstock is the only part of Plymouth not to have a fully functioning Labour party until now.

Luke Pollard, Labour’s last Parliamentary Candidate for the South West Devon constituency that includes Plymstock welcomed Shirley Smith’s election as Chair of Plymstock Labour Party saying: “Labour is making a come back in Plymstock. People angry at the way the Lib Dems have sold out the Tories are joining Labour at the fastest rate since 1997. Shirley doubled the Labour vote in the recent local elections and we have firmly set our sights on winning more support in the crucial 2012 elections where the Tories could be kicked out of the Civic Centre.”

The petition, Keeping Our Young People Safe – Oppose the Repeal of the Adventure Activities Licensing Act, reads:

On 22 March 1993 Claire Langley, Simon Dunne, Rachel Walker and Dean Sayer, pupils from Southway Comprehensive, Plymouth, tragically lost their lives whilst kayaking on a school trip organised by the St Alban’s Activity Centre. In response to that, and other tragedies, in 1995 ‘The Activity Centres (Young Person’s safety) Act’ gained Royal Assent. The Government are proposing to abolish this act and instead introduce a voluntary code of practice for adventure activities. We believe that learning outside the classroom should be supported, unhelpful processes removed but that sustained increased participation is only possible when underpinned with an effective quality safety framework. Parents and schools will not be assured by measures they believe incapable of deterring those who would cut corners and therefore call on the Government to retain some form of compulsory licensing of these activities.

Southway Councillor John Smith said: “The tragic events at Lyme Bay where four young people from Southway lost their lives illustrates just how important it is to have formal regulation of this industry. We all want young people to go out and enjoy the great outdoors, but Parents and Teachers need confidence that measures are in place to deter people who would cut corners and could potentially put lives at risk. Yes the current licensing regime needs to be reviewed but the suggested voluntary code of practice will be insufficient.”

Alison Seabeck MP added: “We have a duty of care to our Children. In 1993 four teenagers from Southway were killed. We must ensure that this never happens again. In the period following this tragedy and the introduction of the Act in 1995 the Conservative Government and the HSE had argued that further regulation or statutory accreditation was unnecessary. This was despite the Activity Centres Advisory Committee, Association of County Councils, Education Select Committee, Unions and others organisations demands for statutory regulation.

“I am thankful that due to David Jamieson MP’s persistence legislation was passed to protect young people who are undertaking these adventure activities. I am deeply concerned that his hard work is about to be undermined by the repeal of the Act and that young people’s safety will once more be put at risk. In 1994 the HSE published a report stating that 24% of centres did not have a written safety policy, 13% had not undertaken any risk assessment and 16% did not provide training for their instructors. Licensing is necessary to protect lives.”

To support the campaign please sign Keeping Our Young People Safe – Oppose the Repeal of the Adventure Activities Licensing Act.