Castle Point Labour will fight to protect our community from Tory Government policy causing havoc in our precious NHS, Police, Fire, Ambulance, Schools and other public services. Labour will campaign for funding and organise policies to rescue these vital services, particularly in relation to Ambulance Services for Canvey Island including the rapid response vehicle.

As a Government Whip, Rebecca Harris MP has to toe the line on important policy issues.

Labour Councillors will fight to protect our Greenbelt, basing annual housing builds on a sustainable vision for our borough. We have the lowest amount of public rented housing in the country, reducing further through government policy on Right to Buy of Social Housing. Secure Council tenancies have gone, encouraging yet more sales. Labour will fight for replacing houses lost through Right to Buy and increasing rented properties and other Social Housing to help our young people onto the housing ladder. Labour will scrap the Bedroom Tax, which is particularly unfit for purpose in Castle Point, given our shortage of one and two bedroom Council houses.

Foot-dragging over the Hadleigh and Canvey Town Centre projects and the Local Plan is a major target as we seek effective services for our residents. The cost of the fiascos over the Local Plan will be more than financial if Castle Point cedes control to Central Government. We should have modern Business and Trading Estates, planned to provide decent local employment, avoiding heavy lorries through housing areas.

We believe in supporting our local shopping centres with a rational car parking policy, equitable throughout the borough.

Our roads and footpaths are a major safety risk. Token pre-election gestures are no substitute for sustainable maintenance and refurbishment programmes. Flooding issues have not been fully resolved and should be top priority. There should be no building without the required infrastructure, flood and other safety clearances, particularly on Canvey Island. Our fight for a third Island access road will continue.

We will fight for Public Safety through restoration of street lighting and increased Police resources for effective responses to crime and fear of crime. The effects of cuts in Youth and Child services are increasingly apparent. They are a false economy, which we will fight to reverse.

Labour will restore full participation of residents in Council decision-making and plan for the particular needs of areas within the borough.