Monday, 11 June 2007
Vision
Council needs to look forward, it is easy to be bogged down by the ins and outs of our (councillors) little party machinations and they are important to us but it easy to forget the big picture.
It is time for vision and delivery. Councillors need to be working together as much as possible and calling the cabinet to account to ensure that some the priorities for this city come into being.
For example every adult parent I talk to and who have visited Gunwharf quay in Pompey, want better waterside leisure access. Somewhere you can end up if you start at the top of town at end of the shopping spree, somewhere to take friends who visit Southampton, somewhere that links up the excellent green spaces in the city to the sea.
I know this can not be the done by council alone, the local authority actually own very little water front. What it will take is effective partnership working with port authorities, companies and developers who want to offer more than just flats on the water front.
Transport network that is integrated, well maintained and efficient. That means some forward thinking like, tram, guided bus or subsidised local train shuttles (the city is well served by local lines on the East and West) and the transport policy that dare not speak its name, road pricing. Again the council can only lead on this we will have to negotiate with the providers and be prepared to use the new legislative powers the government is going to give us to make it all work.
Housing family housing policy that preserves 3 and 4 bedroom properties, extra help with the young for the rented sector (as house prices still increase the rented sector private and social are oversubscribed and difficult to enter, as stringent requirements over income and identity are required to get a flat in private rented sector, e.g. Roof over your head insurance card, anyone can sign up with the local authority scheme and it guarantees your identity, provides a reference and for the low income provides a deposit – funded by the potential tenant paying a registration fee).
Ideas that can be policy that really makes a difference to Sotonians and their way of life.
It is time for vision and delivery. Councillors need to be working together as much as possible and calling the cabinet to account to ensure that some the priorities for this city come into being.
For example every adult parent I talk to and who have visited Gunwharf quay in Pompey, want better waterside leisure access. Somewhere you can end up if you start at the top of town at end of the shopping spree, somewhere to take friends who visit Southampton, somewhere that links up the excellent green spaces in the city to the sea.
I know this can not be the done by council alone, the local authority actually own very little water front. What it will take is effective partnership working with port authorities, companies and developers who want to offer more than just flats on the water front.
Transport network that is integrated, well maintained and efficient. That means some forward thinking like, tram, guided bus or subsidised local train shuttles (the city is well served by local lines on the East and West) and the transport policy that dare not speak its name, road pricing. Again the council can only lead on this we will have to negotiate with the providers and be prepared to use the new legislative powers the government is going to give us to make it all work.
Housing family housing policy that preserves 3 and 4 bedroom properties, extra help with the young for the rented sector (as house prices still increase the rented sector private and social are oversubscribed and difficult to enter, as stringent requirements over income and identity are required to get a flat in private rented sector, e.g. Roof over your head insurance card, anyone can sign up with the local authority scheme and it guarantees your identity, provides a reference and for the low income provides a deposit – funded by the potential tenant paying a registration fee).
Ideas that can be policy that really makes a difference to Sotonians and their way of life.
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