Lib Dems set the agenda since 2003

Since becoming the largest party on the City Council in May 2003 and forming the administration, the Liberal Democrats' have managed to achieve a number of good things for Southampton despite not having overall control on the council. These achievements include:

Value for Your Money

To ensure the people of Southampton get value for their money the Liberal Democrats have done the following:

• 2006-7 Council Tax increase of 3.3%, lowest since unitary status in 1997.
• Lib Dems' Council Tax increases 2003-7 add up to less than 18% - compared to nearly 19% in Labour's last year.
• More than £24M savings identified since 2003, including significant savings from restructuring council services.
• An 'Invest to Save' Fund established to bring down costs for the future.
• A scheme to encourage ideas from staff for service improvements and value for money
• Monthly financial and quarterly HR monitoring reports introduced.
• Saving money and improving services by working more closely with neighbouring authorities (out-of-hours noise, and licensing services)
• Use of agency and temporary staff reduced
• IT systems upgraded to improve efficiency
• Management economies achieved while protecting front-line services.
• Printing and publications bills slashed.
• Partnership with private sector to deliver high quality, low cost IT, customer care and property services progressed.
• Independent watchdog judges Southampton's use of resources as 3 star, good.

Serving People Better

To provide a better service for the people of Southampton your Liberal Democrat team have:

• 'Good Council, improving well' rating confirmed by independent watchdog, the Audit Commission, with improved point score year by year.
• Independent MORI survey shows more citizens satisfied with Council services - Southampton in top 25% of councils - 56% of residents satisfied with the overall job done by Council, compared to 52% in 2003 and 49% average for unitary authorities.
• Audit Commission rates Southampton a 'low cost Council'.
• Gateway one-stop shop opened.
• All key decisions now made in public and after consultation.

A Safer City

To make Southampton a safer place to live Liberal Democrats have:

• Millions of pounds found to back our Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, including more money for 17 City Patrol officers.
• Independent audit shows Southampton's City Safety service best in the country
• Southampton chosen for Government flagship Respect programme
• Alcohol free zone established in city centre - now to be extended city wide.
• Award winning Junior Neighbourhood Wardens scheme rolled out.
• Extra money for Play and Youth Services
• Parenting initiative introduced.
• Appropriate use of new powers, including ASBOs, ABCs and Dispersal Orders.
• Malicious damage and other crime statistics down
• Direct Anti-Social Behaviour contact 'phone number introduced
• Gypsy & Travellers Transit site progressed to clamp down on illegal encampments
• Southampton chosen as pilot for Government's Respect programme
• 20mph speed limit introduced near schools
• City centre parks lighting upgraded

Improving the Neighbourhood Street Scene

To improve the neighbourhoods and the look of the street in which the people of Southampton your Liberal Democrats have:

• An £18.5 millions 5-year programme to reverse years of neglect of our roads and pavements
• A blitz on litter, graffiti and anti-social behaviour through regular CREW weeks
• A major initiative to improve front-line services, from pavement repairs to litter, graffiti and abandoned cars, through local neighbourhood teams.
• Residential Design Guide adopted to improve building quality across the city.
• 700 new street lighting columns installed.
• Proportion of people satisfied with cleanliness of their area up from 54 to 71%.
• National Green Flag awards for 4 parks.
• Improvement schemes for Portswood, Weston, Aldermoor, Spring Road, shopping parades approved.
• Improvements to the 'street scene', including litter bins on routes to schools and new street signs.
• A special vehicle to clean major roads more regularly, without having to close the road to traffic
• Instituting a clean-up programme for Council estates
• Action Plans adopted for Neighbourhood Renewal areas
• Mansel and Green Park and Veracity Ground improvements
• Major improvement scheme for London Road launches Legible City initiative
• City Centre paving and street furniture upgraded.
• Independent watchdog judges Southampton streets 98% clean.
• Open Spaces strategy adopted.
• Weston shore improvements win design award.
• Action against abandoned cars stepped up.

Respecting our Environment

To improve the environment for the people of Southampton your Liberal Democrats have:

• Environment and Transport Directorate jumps from 1 star 'poor' under Labour to 4 star 'excellent' rating under Lib Dems.
• Recycling raised from 11% to 26% across the city - 35% in the first areas to pilot the new alternative weekly collection twin-bin service, before halted by Opposition.
• Southampton wins top national award for recycling
• Free green waste collection instituted
• Missed bins down sharply
• Green Apple Gold Award for Council's Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy.
• Processing planning applications speeded up
• Solar powered bus shelters and parking meters introduced
• Guardian newspaper names Southampton as a top Council on environmental issues.
• 90% of residents satisfied with waste collection service, up from 84% in 2003, and 71% satisfied with cleanliness in their area, up from 54% in 2003.

Better Transport

To improve the transport systems for the people of Southampton your Liberal Democrats have:

• Senior citizens' free bus pass successfully introduced.
• New and cleaner bus shelter
• Real-time bus information rolled out.
• Additional parking spaces created in residential areas, eg Bitterne Park and Coxford.
• Cross-ticketing introduced on buses.
• Port bus tours introduced.
• Central Station entrance and waiting rooms upgraded.
• Two new car parks provided.
• District car parks freed up for local shoppers.

Quality Leisure

For your leisure time your Liberal Democrats have improved the quality of the leisure facilities in the city:

• City Walls Walk reopened, lottery grant for repairs to Tudor House secured.
• Regular markets, including Farmers Markets, launched in High Street.
• German Christmas market and Christmas ice rink introduced along with improved Christmas lights
• Southampton Libraries given Charter mark for excellence in customer care; 78% of residents satisfied with library services, up from 65% in 2003
• 84% of people satisfied with parks and open spaces.
• Magistrates Courts feasibility study for a new Heritage Centre to promote the 'Story of Southampton'
• Major events, such as VE day & Spitfire anniversary, celebrated
• Sea City Southampton Festival launched
• Bargate opened to the public as new contemporary art gallery
• Increased access to the City Vaults
• Art@theArches launched to keep creative young people in the city.
• Titanic Anniversary plans developed.
• Calshot Activities centre transferred to trust
• Fountains Café reopened
• 'Libraries for the Twenty-First Century' vision adopted.
• New library delivered in Shirley, and planned for Woolston.
• Jane Austen Trail inaugurated.
• New community sports halls at Bitterne Park and Weston Park schools; free sport in parks for under 15s.
• Solent Sky repairs funded.
• Magistrates Courts reopened for exhibitions.

• Night Time Economy scheme wins Town Centre management award.

City Renaissance

To improve the whole way your city looks and feels your Liberal Democrats have planned and started on a city renaissance which will in the long term greatly improve Southampton:

• £5¾ Milion grant secured for new arts facilities in Northern Above Bar
• Major waterfront development at Woolston Riverside progressed.
• City Centre Vision 2, outlining £1 billion development plans, launched
• Top international award won for work with sister city Qingdao.
• A 'Design Champion' appointed to influence the quality of new buildings and developments in the City.
• Commissioning world class masterplanners and architects to work in Southampton (eg Richard Rogers Partnership).
• Developers Forum and Design Panel set up.
• Skyline Guidance produced.
• Strategy for Public Art and Street Scene Manual published
• EU grants secured for projects to develop city identity (NewEPOC and CRII).
• Southampton invited to give major presentations at Eurocities and in China.
• Ocean Village schemes given planning permission.

A Prosperous City

To increase the prosperity of the City your Liberal Democrats have:

• IKEA planning application announced
• New HQ for leading cruise company, Carnival, secured for West Quay
• Partnership for Urban South Hampshire launched to co-ordinate regional plans
• Business Southampton launched to spearhead economic growth
• Solent Synergy initiative developed to promote the knowledge economy.
• Lloyds Register relocating to University campus.
• Port partnership relaunched
• Promotion video produced for cruise passengers.
• New council apprenticeship scheme launched.
• Links with Qingdao exploited to open up opportunities for local firms in 2008 Sailing Olympics, education compact etc.

Life Long Learning

To improve the education of the people of Southampton your Liberal Democrats have:

• Key Stage 2 results improved
• Year by year improvements in GCSE scores, with 2006 results the best ever for Southampton
• Learning Futures city-wide review of secondary education to cut surplus places and concentrate resources on children in school
• Sure Start programme expanded
• All children in care receiving education
• Primary schools re-organisations carried out to make best use of resources
• Schools Music Service wins top national award
• £530,000 Big Lottery Award for Play Services

Decent Homes

To make sure all the of Southampton have decent homes to live in your Liberal Democrats have:

• Decent Homes Standard programme on target
• More affordable housing built, exceeding targets
• Concierge scheme piloted - now to be offered city wide
• Introducing choice-based lettings, probationary and demoted tenancy policies for Council house tenants
• 97% of tenants vote to keep in-house management
• Increased incentives against under-occupancy of Council properties
• Empty properties strategy adopted
• Revised grants and loans for property repairs
• Voluntary HMO registration scheme introduced
• Lift replacement programme for council blocks accelerated

A Caring City

To show that the people Southampton care for the less well off your Liberal Democrats have:

• Southampton up from 86th to 97th most deprived area nationally
• Health and Adult Social Care Directorate gains maximum star rating
• Seniors Council and Older Persons Charter launched
• Fairer charging system for community care introduced
• Grants to the voluntary sector given uplift each year
• Champions appointed for senior citizens, young people, people with disabilities and the voluntary sector
• Council support to make Southampton a 'Fair Trade' City, encouraging fair purchasing from third-world producers
• Residential accommodation upgraded (Northlands, Brownhill)
• No Smoking policy adopted
• Teenage pregnancies down
• Garden tidying initiative for senior citizens introduced