All main parties in Nottingham have published their manifestos and key pledges ahead of the local elections on May 4.
Voters will head to the polls next month to select which candidates they want to sit in 20 wards which return a total of 55 seats on Nottingham City Council.
The authority dictates how Nottingham taxpayers’ money is spent on roads, bin collections, parks and leisure, libraries and other services including adult and children’s social care.
Currently, the Labour Group has 50 of 55 seats on the council, the Nottingham Independents have three, and the Conservative Group has two.
The Nottingham Labour Group is the only party to have put forward a candidate for all 55 seats.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives have put forward 41, the Nottingham Independents 28, the Liberal Democrats 20, the Green Party 17 and UKIP which has put forward two.
Three candidates will be standing independently and one will stand for the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition.
While 28 seats are required for a majority, the Conservative Group says it is only seeking to create a “strong opposition”.
In 2019 it put up 55 candidates in an attempt to gain control of the council.
Similarly, the Liberal Democrats said the group hopes to create an “effective opposition”.
The manifesto and pledges are as follows:
Nottingham Independents
Following success in 2019, when the relatively small group secured all three seats in Clifton East and became the second largest party on the council, the Nottingham Independents have put up dozens more candidates to stand on May 4.
The group has put up 28 candidates, compared to seven in 2019.
Kevin Clarke, the group leader, says one of the group’s main priorities is to help seek out a new location for Victoria Centre Market traders.
The pledge comes as the current Labour administration at the council proposed to end the lease on the market, with traders having faced uncertainty for over 18 months with a final decision yet to be made.
“Rather than having a manifesto, we have encouraged all candidates to concentrate on what is needed in the wards they are representing,” Mr Clarke said.
“These candidates all live in their respective wards and know the issues that are related to that ward.”
The Nottingham Independents have published 10 main pledges.
1. Youth centres, youth provision: We will do all we can to save services and centres for local children to use, reducing anti-social behaviour within wards.
2. To ensure there are no more library or community centre closures.
3. Environmental issues, fly-tipping, discarded litter areas and demand more enforcement.
4. Repair of roads, paths and potholes within one month of reporting.
5. More social housing is desperately needed. We will seek to look at all options to request more family homes to be built if possible.
6. Work alongside the police to reduce knife crime, raise awareness of the devastation caused to families.
7. Support and encourage local jobs fairs for residents.
8. We will again petition the Government for more financial aid to help people through the cost of living crisis.
9. We would look to stop successive rate increases for businesses across the city.
10. To seek out a new local for the city market traders, a much-loved market for the people of Nottingham.
Local Elections 2023 on The Wire
Nottingham Labour Manifesto pledges for Local Elections 2023
Nottingham Conservatives Manifesto pledges for Local Elections 2023
Nottingham Green Party Manifesto pledges for Local Elections 2023
Nottingham Liberal Democrats Manifesto pledges for Local Elections 2023
