The Liberal Democrats have now taken control of Bath and North East Somerset Council with a massive majority – but what have they promised the area?

Transport:

In an interview with BBC Radio Bristol’s Emma Britton last Thursday, group leader, Dine Romero, said the Lib-Dem-led council will cut congestion by having fewer cars on the road. It will achieve this through improved walking and cycling provision, with more affordable, reliable public transport that goes where passengers want it to go.

The Lib Dem manifesto said its councillors will not allow park and ride facilities to “blot our floodplains.” Ahead of the election, Councillor Richard Samuel told a hustings organised by the Bath Alliance for Transport and the Public Realm that tackling congestion was the Lib-Dems’ “highest priority.”

“We will limit access to the city centre to only permitted vehicles at permitted times,” he said. “We will extend residents’ parking zones, where supported by residents. We will link permit charges to the emissions of those vehicles. We will aim to reduce school run traffic through a partnership with schools. We will campaign for rail stations in Saltford and Corsham.

“We will improve the network of park and rides, and increase options for walking and cycling.

“We will lobby the West of England Combined Authority to introduce bus franchising or equivalent across the West of England.”

Bath’s Clean Air Zone:

The Clean Air Zone is set to come into force in December 2020, with daily charges for the worst polluting buses, coaches, lorries, vans and taxis, but not private cars.

The Lib-Dem manifesto said the proposals had a serious flaw. In her radio interview, Cllr Romero said: “The first thing we want to do is have the evidence re-examined. We have some doubts on the validity of some of the conclusions that were drawn.

“It may be a coincidence, but it seems surprising that shortly before the election, the decision was taken by the previous Conservative administration to no longer be pushing for a £9 [a day] car charge.”

Ms Britton asked if that meant that the Lib-Dems would introduce the charge for cars. Cllr Romero replied: “We haven’t said that. What we’ve been very clear on is that based on what we’ve been told, the evidence we’ve seen, that we wouldn’t be charging for cars.

“What we also want to know is that this clean air zone proposal will do the job it needs to do, that it will cut nitrogen dioxide emissions to the limit that has been demanded.”

Climate change:

The Lib-Dems pledged to have a clear carbon reduction plan and lead a shift in the way the community thinks about climate change. Cllr Samuel told the transport hustings that climate change was an “enormous challenge” and a cross- party response was needed – but that was before his party secured a majority. Speaking at a hustings on climate change, he said the Lib-Dems would create a new cabinet position dedicated to achieving the Council’s target of being carbon neutral by 2025.

Housing:

The Lib-Dems have promised to “stop developers from making secret deals to wriggle out of building affordable housing” and to clamp down on rogue landlords. The manifesto says: “We will only solve the housing crisis by working with communities to get the right housing built, in the right place, with the right infrastructure.”

In their election pledges, they said they want to make the housing stock in Bath & North East Somerset among the greenest in the UK, by supporting residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and tightening regulations on new homes. The council’s housing com- pany, Aequus, was set up to generate extra revenue.

Ms Britton asked if the Lib-Dems would use it to build social and affordable homes.

“Yes, that’s certainly one of our proposals,” said Cllr Romero. “We’re currently looking at how that can be achieved through the companies we currently have, and whether we need to make some changes to achieve what we have promised.

“It would be difficult to [set a target] but we know there are about 4,500 people on the housing register, so that would certainly be a target to be aiming for.”

How the Council is run:

Liberal Democrats say they will hold regular social media sessions so residents can quiz cabinet members, and introduce a “citizens’ jury” to radically change how the council makes decisions.

The party say they will end the “closed-door culture” of the current council, extend the webcasting of meetings, and overhaul how, where and when meetings take place.

Speaking on BBC Radio Bristol, Cllr Romero said: “We will be engaging with residents, ensuring we’ve got residents as a part of the decision-making process.

“I’m hoping local politics will feel different, and they’ll feel part of everything that’s going on.”

Economy:

The Lib-Dems said in their manifesto they will support the enterprise areas in Bath, Keynsham and the Somer Valley and oppose the loss of local business space.

Communities:

The Liberal Democrats say they will focus on protecting preventative services, bring services back in house where practical and financially viable, and ensure the awarding of contracts is as transparent as possible.

They have promised to work with the NHS to make sure children’s mental health provision is no longer “so grossly underfunded.”

When the Tories made the “difficult but prudent” decision to put plans to integrate the One Stop Shop into Bath Central Library on hold, Cllr Samuel accused them of “kicking it into the long grass until after the election.” He added: “The Conservatives should face facts, listen to the public, and cancel the scheme entirely, rather than try to save face by blaming a capital review.”

The Lib-Dem manifesto said the party will resist moves to close local post offices, banks or libraries, and will work with the cultural sector to work out the best way of keeping the arts thriving. Following the 2nd May Local Election, the Lib-Dems now have overall control of B&NES Council, with 37 of the 59 councillors. There are eleven Conservatives, six Independents and five Labour members.

Stephen Sumner, LDR