The following consultation is a further step towards a manifesto for Barnsley. Please tell us what you think. Email:    barnsleylabour@ymail.com   to make your contribution to the manifesto for your borough. It will be helpful if you include your post-code in your response.

 

• Job Creation

 Barnsley Labour wants to see more jobs in the borough; even though 10,000 new jobs have been created over the past seven years. Our aim in the years ahead is not only to create more jobs but to improve their quality, permanence and levels of remuneration. We are focussing on those who have been out of work for long periods, particularly young people.

 

We have just created six hundred new jobs from the ‘Future Jobs’ fund. Working with business and the voluntary sector, we are creating access to good quality training to improve prospects for gaining employment.

•   What do you think of what we have done so far and what do you think we should be doing?

  

• Culture and Leisure

 Barnsley Labour wants everyone to have access to high quality sports, leisure and cultural facilities. We want to provide the opportunity for all ages to pursue a healthy life style at a reasonable cost.  To achieve this,  considerable investment has gone into all the sports centres in the borough, now administered by Barnsley Premier Leisure. We have introduced free swimming for the under 18’s and over 65’s to encourage a new approach to physical fitness.

 

We have reopened the Civic theatre which provides a full programme of cultural activities. There is now free access to all the Council’s museums and art galleries. A new heritage museum is being opened in the Town Hall  

• What do you think of what we have done so far and what do you think we should be doing?

 

Law and Order 

Barnsley Labour wants a safe and secure environment for all residents. To this end we have funded the provision of extra police and established ‘Safer Neighbourhood’ teams. With the result that Barnsley has the lowest crime rate in South Yorkshire.  Older peoples’ perception of their own safety does not always reflect the crime rate, although the most likely victims of crime and violence are young people.

 

Liquour licensing became the responsibility of the local authority some time ago and Barnsley Labour has formulated policies to encourage responsible drinking. 

• What do you think of what we have done so far and what do you think we should be doing?

 

 The Green Agenda 

Barnsley Labour has increased the amount of household waste being recycled but wants to increase the amount further. We are also considering alternative ways of waste disposal.  We are introducing energy saving measures into the entire Council housing stock. The authority has won the Ashton award for the extent to which it has reduced its atmospheric emissions.

 

The Dearne valley has been declared an eco-zone which will be the centre of activities to provide a sustainable future. 

• What do you think of what we have done so far and what do you think we should be doing?

 

 

• Urban Renewal

 Barnsley Labour’s vision of Barnsley is one of a 21^st century market town providing high quality retail outlets and markets for shopping; theatres, museums, clubs and cinemas for culture and entertainment all provided with adequate, accessible and cheap parking.

 

Barnsley Labour also wants to improve the various local shopping centres scattered around the borough. To this end plans have been drawn for the improvement of Goldthorpe, Penistone and Hoyland. In Barnsley town centre itself, a £180 million regeneration scheme which will create 3,000 jobs is being put together.

 

Free off street parking is now available at weekends on all Council car parks. 

• What do think of what we have done so far and what do you think we should be doing?

 

 

• Education

Barnsley Labour aspires to provide a service which caters for all ages and abilities. In order to make this happen all primary schools are being refurbished and all secondary schools are being replaced by advance learning centres at a cost of £300 million. Barnsley Labour is also working with the College to improve the provision of post-16 education.

 

Examination results have improved considerably across the borough and we plan to improve them even more. Barnsley Labour through ‘Sure Start’ and ‘Community Learning’ are ensuring that all have access to further education wherever they live. 

• What do you think of what we have done so far and what do you think we should be doing?

 

 

• Transport 

Barnsley Labour has always had public transport high on its list of priorities, not least because with levels of car ownership below the national average, so many in our scattered communities depend upon it. Barnsley Labour representatives on the Passenger Transport Authority have always fought for Barnsley’s interests and the new passenger transport interchange is just one result of their efforts.

 

By working with the private owners of the buses and trains we have been provided with services which are the envy of other parts of the country. Barnsley was one of the first Councils to implement free travel for the over 60’s. Barnsley Labour has gone one step further and been the first authority in the country to introduce free travel for the under 18’s. 

• What do you think of what we have done so far and what do you think we should be doing?

 

 

• Housing 

Barnsley Labour has, under a Labour government, made more investment in the housing stock over the past few years than at any time since 1979. The ‘Decent Homes’ programme has seen over £140 million invested in the Council’s homes. In addition, in response to a recent government proposal that local authorities could restart building homes, one of the first schemes in the country is well on its way in Barnsley.

 

Barnsley Labour working with its housing association partners, has also brought affordable housing to both rural and urban communities. There is also a ‘Housing Market Renewal’ programme which gives older homes in the private sector a new lease of life. 

• What do you think of what we have done so far and what do you think we should be doing?