Welcome to the Manifesto for the local Conservatives standing at the local elections

In this section of the website you can read all about our pledges and promises to you. 

We believe that Bracknell Forest is a "Great Place to Live" - and we want to keep it that way

PUTTING RESIDENTS FIRST

Our Manifesto 2023 Commitments

This is the local Conservative manifesto for the local elections on 4th May 2023. The commitments made in this manifesto are based upon local Conservative values that have led to Bracknell Forest being a community focused, healthy, caring place to live.

These commitments take into account the very successful delivery of our last manifesto and the changes that have been necessary following Covid and its effect on the national economy. The Conservatives have always and will continue to put our residents, of all ages, first.

Before presenting our commitments for the next four years we ask that you join us in thanking all those who have helped deliver all the services that have made Bracknell Forest the successful place it is. These include council officers, NHS and care partners, voluntary sector organisations and their dedicated volunteers, our Faith groups, local businesses, and schools and care settings.

Our commitments are focused on local needs and are within the council’s power to deliver.

To support our commitments, you can access links to further information using the links and document references on the Bracknell Forest Council website. With all the commitments made you can be assured that they are deliverable.

You can check out the Conservative-led Bracknell Forest Council Plan here.

The Conservatives never forget it’s your money.  

1. Economic prosperity

We will build on our strong economic record by:

• Ensuring our local economy remains as resilient as possible to future changes. (Link to Place, Planning and Regeneration Directorate's strategic priorities)
• Further to completion of our new Local Plan, we will continue to make Bracknell Forest attractive to employers to come here and take advantage of our highly skilled workforce. (Link to Local Plan)
• Continue to ensure the right houses are built in the right areas so that employers can bring their staff with them. (Link to Local Plan)
• Focus on ensuring our roads and transport infrastructure meets the demands of our travelling public. (Link to LTP3)
• Our schools will be supported to ensure young people leave school fit for the workplace.
• A healthy workforce is important to thriving companies so we will. (Link to HWB strategy)
• Continue to seek health and care facilities on new developments. (See BFC Infrastructure Funding Statement)
• Continue our commitment to regenerating Bracknell Town centre and surrounding areas. (See Bracknell Town Centre Vision 2032)

2. Our climate change agenda

Building on our commitment to tackling climate change since 2007, we will:

• Continue our commitment to our Climate Change Strategy. (Link to CC Strategy)
• Reduce carbon emissions that are under the council’s control.
• Continue to introduce local renewable schemes.
• Improve waste recycling to reduce landfill.
• Increase the number of EV charging points.
• Local walking and cycling initiatives to get people out of their cars.
• Continue helping with home insulation.
• We will meet our carbon reduction goals in a financially sustainable way.
• We will work with our schools to promote climate friendly behaviours.
• Our policies will ensure new houses are energy efficient and when viable generate their own power.

3. Caring and supporting

We are fully committed to looking our for our residents, here are our commitments to you:

• Our commitment is to help people live longer in good health, both physical and mental. (Link to Health and Wellbeing Strategy)
• We will continue to work with health partners to deliver new care facilities for all ages like the proposed Bridgewell centre for people with Learning Disabilities.
• Note: The council cannot commit to providing more Doctors or Nurses because it does not have responsibility for NHS or local surgery staffing.
• There will be a focus on caring for people in their own home for as long as it is safe.
• We will continue to work with the NHS so that there will not be unnecessary delays for people coming out of hospital.
• We will continue to promote self-care. (Link to Public Health Portal Self-care guide)
• We will continue to promote local community groups, clubs, societies, and events on the Community Map (Link to Community Map)
• We will promote the joint use of council buildings for partners such as the NHS.
• Our commitment to be an active member of the armed services covenant will continue. (Link to Armed forces support)
• Ensuring cost-of-living funding gets to those eligible will continue.  (Link to cost-of-living support)
• We will continue to enhance services provided through our Family hubs. (Link to Family Hubs)
• Our commitment to tackling drug and alcohol issues will continue through New Hope. (Link to Drugs and alcohol advice)
• Having seen a reduction in rough sleeping, we will remain committed to delivering our Homelessness and Rough Sleeping strategy with a focus on preventing homelessness. (Link to Homelessness and rough sleeping strategy)
• We will engage more closely with residents offering those with lived experience in certain areas the opportunity to actually assist in the co-production of new strategies and action plans.

4. Opportunity for all

We believe in ensuring all our residents have the opportunities to succeed, to help deliver this we commit to:

• Through our school improvement service, we will continue to work with teachers and governors to help our schools to remain Good or Outstanding which will enable our children and young people to reach their full potential.
• Our commitment to retaining companies and attracting new ones will continue to keep attractive opportunities in all types of work. (Link to local plan and 2032 vision)
• Research and develop a new Leisure Strategy that will provide, or cause to be provided, a range of new sports and leisure facilities and enhance current provision.
• Continue to support those in need of shelter from war and unrest overseas so they can have the opportunity of a normal life.
• We are fortunate to have well integrated communities and we are committed to delivering our “All of Us” equality scheme to provide equal opportunities to all our communities.

5. Financial stability

Financial stability and security requires strong leadership and we have provided that since 1997 and we are committed to continuing strong local leadership. The borough council has delivered a balanced budget for over 20 years, and we remain committed to delivering value for money in all services - to deliver this we will:

• Commit to ensuring the councils only long-term debt is well managed and the value of assets secured against it is greater than the debt. Note: recent Lib Dem claims that Bracknell Forest Council has £411m long-term debt are totally false. The Lib Dems added together the councils long term debt of £100m and the councils pension fund commitment which is not classified as a long-term debt.
• Continue to manage our reserves to assist in keeping services available especially if something unexpected happens.
• Our goal of remaining a low council tax authority will continue.
• Continue to support eligible families and individuals with cost-of-living issues (Link to cost of living support)
• We will continue to seek financial contributions from developers to help fund new infrastructure (Link to CIL and S106)

6. Thriving communities

We believe in investing in our communities to help them thrive, so we will:

• Ensure libraries will continue to be well used community assets as places of cultural learning and warm hubs during the winter.
• Continue to work closely with the Community Safety Partnership and have developed a Domestic Abuse Strategy. www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-12/bracknell-forest-domestic-abuse-strategy-2022-2024.pdf
• Commit to working with Thames Valley Police to secure more officers and fight crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Continue to support South Hill Park and events in Bracknell Town Centre.
• The commitment to providing more estate-based parking will continue (Link to LTP3 // TP16), as well as Highways capital programme for 23/24 shows the following estate based parking improvements planned: Approved (at Executive on 21st March 23) Highways capital spend for 2023/24.
• Residential Parking (various locations) - increased parking capacity in residential areas experiencing difficulties. Identified schemes include: Claverdon (Hanworth), Swaledale (Wildridings), Kibble Green (Bracknell), Latimer (Birch Hill), Fraser Road (Priestwood), Holland Pines (Great Hollands), Prescott (Hanworth).
• Commit to securing more affordable housing, reducing homelessness and rough sleeping through our Housing and Homeless strategies. (Link to Housing Strategy)
• Ensure that under local Conservatives community centres will remain a key focus.
• Ensure access to open spaces, parks and open spaces, which was critical during Covid, remain an important part of maintaining people’s physical and mental health.
• Remain committed to retaining and enhancing our parks and open spaces.
• Commit to having and supporting fun things to do.
• Continue to work closely with Town and Parish councils.
• Continue to ensure our local plan recognises the unique communities in our borough.