North Lanarkshire’s SNP group have launched their manifesto for May’s council elections, saying it demonstrates their “scale of ambition” for the area and that they are “an administration in waiting”.
It includes reintroducing a free special uplift for householders and maintaining free call-outs to deal with rodent sightings, plus free swimming for all Primary Five pupils and a review of the council’s housing allocation policy.
Further commitments include accelerating the area’s home building programme, ensuring accessible local libraries for each community, investigating the provision of free school uniforms and a neighbourhood model for spending and community decisions.
Candidates gathered at the landmark Big Heids art installation to mark the official launch of their campaign, in which the party will be fielding 43 candidates across North Lanarkshire’s 21 wards.
Group leader Jordan Linden told Lanarkshire Live: “This is the first time a North Lanarkshire SNP group has launched a prospectus in such detail like this, covering the whole gamut of all policy areas; it’s the most ambitious programme of policies ever presented to the people of North Lanarkshire.
“It’s been developed after months of feedback from party members, communities and trade union colleagues, and it rights a catalogue of wrongs over a long period, unpicking two decades of Labour administration.
“Special uplift s is an important policy; the impact of charging was felt very quickly and we see the scourge of fly tipping not being dealt with and recognise that environmental changes really affect North Lanarkshire residents.
“I’m also very proud that we’ve brought Primary Five swimming to the table, as it’s a community safety focus at the moment and we need to equip young people with skills at a young age.
“We want to be honest and open with the electorate, and the neighbourhood model will focus on people’s priorities as those deserve to have the money follow them in making spending decisions and investments.”
The SNP’s local manifesto is divided into seven sections covering education, housing, culture, environment, economy, communities and health.
It also includes a call for a 3-18 Gaelic medium school and introducing the daily mile fitness initiative at each of the area’s schools, a council-run factoring system and working to address the “spiralling cost” of funerals and the condition of the area’s cemeteries.
The party also proposes to introduce a citizens’ assembly and public petitions committee, a review to support North Lanarkshire’s rural communities and providing devices to help improve digital inclusion.
The group leader added: “We’re standing enough candidates to win and I’d say to people that if they want to see change happening and want an SNP administration in North Lanarkshire, they need to get out and vote for it.
“We have such a diverse group of candidates; there are women, people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and LGBT representation, and people from lots of different jobs and backgrounds so there’s a real breadth of experience.
“If we’re the biggest party I won’t be waiting for anybody to knock my door – I’ll be seeking to form an administration because if people vote for the SNP, it’s our right.”
The SNP had gained 33 seats on election day in 2017 to Labour’s 32, but it was the latter party who went on to form a minority administration.
Councillor Linden told fellow candidates at the launch event: “Five years ago, the people of North Lanarkshire stated loud and clear that they wanted an SNP administration. They were ignored by Labour who opted to team up with the Tories.
“Labour has run out of ideas and North Lanarkshire desperately needs a change in direction.”
He continued: “The golden thread of this manifesto is communities – the people of North Lanarkshire are our strongest asset.
“The vision is to change the way of working for communities, listen to and engage with people on the issues that matter to them and invest in making communities active places to live.”
Voters across North Lanarkshire will go to the polls on May 5 to elect 77 representatives to take up seats in the council chamber – with the current composition of the council being 31 Labour members, 26 SNP, nine independents, eight Conservatives and three from Alba.
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