What we stand for

After seventeen long years of Conservative rule at Gloucester City Council, it is quite clear that it’s time for a change. Gloucester deserves better. Together, we can change the direction of the council, and make Gloucester an even better place to live and work, for us and for the next generation.
Gloucester Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Jeremy Hilton

The Liberal Democrat will rebuild council services in Gloucester

Restoring services

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• work closely with Ubico to improve the council’s waste and recycling services
once the Amey contract ends in March 2022
• end the unnecessary creation of arms-length companies and trusts to carry
out council functions when it can be better done by the council itself
• ensure council services are at the forefront in the use of digital technologies

The Liberal Democrats will complete the regeneration projects already in the pipeline

Delivering regeneration

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• complete the regeneration of projects already in the pipeline such as Kings
Quarter, Kings Square, the railway station and Kings Walk
• speed up the stalled projects such as at Bakers Quay, the Fleece Hotel and
Gloucester Prison
• work closely with University of Gloucestershire to help them restore and
repurpose the Debenhams building into a new campus

The Liberal Democrats will make Gloucester City Council more democratic

Better democracy

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• hold a full independent inquiry into the collapse of Marketing Gloucester and
its associated companies
• oppose any Government attempt to abolish Gloucester City Council and to
replace it with a massive unitary authority. Gloucester must have its own council
• introduce the webcasting and recording of council and committee meetings

A Liberal Democrat council would set up a housing company to build homes

Building homes

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• form a council owned housing company to build new homes for affordable
and social rents
• work with partners to help vulnerable and homeless people secure a place to
live
• encourage city centre living and the conversion of redundant office buildings
for residential use

The Liberal Democrats would create a zero carbon council by 2030

Greening Gloucester

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• establish a zero-carbon council no later than 2030 and seek opportunities to
produce renewable energy from council property
• improve the bio-diversity of our parks and open spaces to include the planting
of additional trees
• tackle air pollution by encouraging and promoting walking and cycling, public
transport and installation of electric vehicle charging points

The Liberal Democrats would make Gloucester the cultural capital of the county

Entertaining city

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• deliver an improved festivals and events programme using the city’s heritage and cultural strengths, to include a new event on the alternate year to the Tall
Ships’ Festival
• strengthen the city’s visitor attractions, to include improving the city’s museums, enhancing public spaces, better free WiFi, more public toilets, and
vibrant hotels and restaurants
• work with performing artists and entertainers to make Gloucester the cultural capital of the county

The Liberal Democrats would make Gloucester's streets cleaner

Better civic pride

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• keep our streets and open spaces free of litter by more regular cleaning and emptying of litter bins.
• enhance the street signage around Gloucester and ensure that broken or missing signs are replaced quickly
• make Gloucester a place renowned for its public art by protecting what we have and commissioning more public art that tells the story of Gloucester

A Liberal Democrat council would support communities

Supporting communities

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• make it easy to contact the council online, by phone or in person to seek advice about an issue or services
• encourage the Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner to improve neighbourhood policing in our communities
• work closely to support community groups and the voluntary sector organisations

A Liberal Democrat council would protect the city's heritage

Protecting our city

A Liberal Democrat council will:
• ensure that the council’s development plans and resources are strong enough to protect and enhance the city’s heritage and built environment
• enhance the enforcement of the council’s regulations to eradicate the scourge of fly tipping
• continue to use Public Space Protection Orders to deal with anti-social behaviour

A Liberal Democrat council would grow the city's economy

Stronger economy

A Liberal Democrat council will:
•   work with both public and private sector partners to assist in a city and county-wide recovery from the economic damage done by the coronavirus pandemic
•   give special attention to the city centre by carrying out a review of how the city centre can change in the modern digital world, but still be a place to work and trade
•   deliver increased income from the council’s commercial assets and overhaul the council’s grant application processes when bidding for Government funds so that it succeeds more often