TO MAKE MERTON
A GREAT PLACE
TO LIVE, WORK AND LEARN

LABOUR'S PROPOSALS FOR MERTON IN 2002

Labour has a vision for the Borough:

"To make Merton a great place to live, work and learn"

This is a high ambition for Merton and will not be easy to achieve. Working closely with residents, community organisations and businesses, we will strive to make it a reality. We need to focus all our resources with those of partners like the Metropolitan Police and the NHS on the achievement of joint aims. We believe that by working together as a community, developing the common good, we can improve the quality of life for all who live and work in Merton. This is our belief. We hope that it is yours as well.

In formulating this programme, we have listened to the concerns of Merton people as expressed through consultation surveys and countless letters, petitions, meetings and conversations. We have responded to your concerns and this is the result.

To make Merton a great place to live work and learn

As a Labour Council we will provide or promote:

1.	Education Merton – the achievement of standards of excellence in our schools and colleges and inclusive access to learning, the arts and schools.
2.	Safe, Clean and Green Merton – a safe and clean environment in our streets and open spaces to improve sustainability and provide a high quality of life for residents.
3.	Caring Merton – support for vulnerable children that equals the standards of the best and support for vulnerable adults that meets their needs while maximising their independence.
4.	Thriving Merton – regeneration of town centres and neighbourhoods to provide an attractive environment in which to live, visit and work.
5.	Equalities Merton – full and equal access to learning, employment, services and cultural life and the celebration of diversity.

In meeting these objectives we will keep to the following principles:

(i)	We will aim to provide good value for the community with efficient and cost-effective services through maximising resources, incorporating best practice, taking forward best practice, utilising new technology and through innovation.
(ii)	We will work in partnership with other organisations and residents to enable us to meet local needs more effectively.
(iii)	We will communicate, listen and respond effectively to deliver quality services, meet local aspirations and promote social inclusion and equality of access.
(iv)	We will support and develop our staff and celebrate success.

Good Value and the Council Tax

Factors that affect the Council Tax

(i)	Merton has proportionately, significantly fewer children in schools than neighbouring boroughs because of its unpopular 3 tier system, which is why the Council is taking forward re-organisation and spending £14m of its capital resources on schools.
(ii)	Education has over 50% of the Council's budget. Since 1990, the Council has ensured that all monies designated by the government for education have been passed on to schools. This has inevitably put pressure on other budgets.
(iii)	Recruiting and retaining teachers is a problem nationwide. To be competitive Merton has to pay inner London weighting to its teachers, however, unlike neighbouring Wandsworth we do not receive this money from the Government, because we are regarded as outer London.
(iv)	Merton has low levels of unemployment.
(v)	Social Services budgets nationally are under great pressure. The costs for care are massive and all councils struggle to keep up with these high costs.
(vi)	Special Needs costs in our schools are soaring, making a huge impact on Council budgets.
(vii)	Debt charges that make a year on year impact on Council finances.
(viii)	As an outer London Council we receive much lower funding than inner London boroughs like Wandsworth. If we had the same funding per head as Wandsworth we would be able to reduce the Council Tax at Band D by £445 or 40% of the total.

Our Budget Record – Since 1990 the Council has made approximately £45m of cuts and savings to fund its expenditure. This year by intensive corporate working across the Council we have made total cuts and savings of over £5m, which has enabled us to keep the Council tax increase down to 5% in Merton's element and 6.63% overall – significantly less than comparable outer London boroughs like Sutton, Richmond and Kingston.

Our Priority – We will work tirelessly to ensure good value for the community with efficient and cost-effective services and by maximising resources.

Our Priority – we will implement budget strategies that endeavour to ensure that our level of Council tax is set at the average of Outer London boroughs by 2005.

Our Priority – we will continue to work with our MPs, the Government, the GLA and our partners in the community to obtain a "Fair Deal for Merto" year on year – maximising our external funding.

A Quality Environment is Everyone's Right and Responsibility

Our aim – a safe and clean environment in our streets and open spaces to improve sustainability and provide a high quality of life for residents.

Everyone has the right to a clean and safe environment. Labour believes that the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the quality of our local environment. We all have a duty to respect the rights of others to use safe, clean and well-maintained streets, open spaces and community facilities. The upsurge in criminal graffiti and other damage, disorderly and threatening conduct, littering, fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles, vehicles for sale as well as private property that is allowed to fall into decay and dereliction, prove that a significant minority don't care enough about the impact of their behaviour on the wider community. Labour in Merton is determined to tackle enviro-crime.

Facts

(i)	Levels of littering have increased significantly.
(ii)	There has been a huge increase in fly-tipping and increased costs in waste removal.
(iii)	Scrap dealers no longer give cash for unwanted cars. Owners and garage repair companies abandon their vehicles in the highway and cost the Council £13.50 each for removal. During the last calendar year there were 5,239 reports of abandoned vehicles of which 2,217 were removed. The rest were driven away.
(iv)	Criminal damage including graffiti has increased by 102% since 1998 costing the Council £124k over a two-year period.
(v)	Fly-tipping has more than doubled since 2000.

Our Environmental Record

This year we have funded £699k growth for environmental services, especially cleaning in town centres and also to tackle fly-tipping and abandoned vehicles. This is in addition to £450k two-year funding for our trail blazing street wardens scheme and £246k for increased CCTV protection of car parks.


"Clean-ups"

	We have enhanced the street cleaning with a minimum standard of a weekly sweep in all residential streets with higher frequency in heavily littered areas and enhanced weekend cleaning of town centres.
	We have introduced local graffiti clean-ups, working with local volunteers to remove graffiti and litter from "hot-spots" and work to keep them clean afterwards.
	Introduced new procedures to remove abandoned vehicles quicker than before with 262-465 being alleged per month. We have also introduced an abandoned vehicle surrender scheme for residents.
	Both the average time to remove fly-tips and the percentage cleared within 24 hours has improved substantially since April 2000.

"Enforcement"

	We have developed a close and highly effective partnership with the police to tackle enviro-crime. The innovative high profile FLAG project with £180k funding is tackling fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles and graffiti through targeted joint operations.
	We have begun an unprecedented campaign of name and shame using CCTV to catch offenders.
	We have pursued and will continue to pursue successful prosecutions against fly-tippers.
	We are removing "vehicles for sale" parked on the highway.

"Citizenship"

	We are introducing a network of street and neighbourhood wardens to act as the Council's eyes and ears – deterring enviro-crime, preventing problems from developing and supporting local residents and businesses.
	We are working with the police in schools to enlist the support of children and young people.
	We have worked with partners on innovative youth projects.
	We have begun a high profile media campaign to raise awareness about littering, fly-tipping and graffiti and socially responsible behaviour.

A recent survey looked at streets and open spaces and found 98% of the sites surveyed were of an "acceptable standard" of cleanliness. In the parks surveyed: cleanliness was also found to be of an "acceptable standard".

FLAG (Fly-tipping, Abandoned Vehicles & Graffiti) – Results so Far
Since November 2001 – arrests for fly-tipping, a 20% reduction in abandoned vehicle fires, 75% reduction in vehicles being offered for sale in Plough Lane and 9 graffiti operations.

Our Priority – to keep streets and open spaces clean, responding effectively to environmental nuisance. We will continue:

	enhanced levels of graffiti clearance, including an expanded hit squad and supporting removal from private property;
	enhanced levels of street cleaning, with a minimum of weekly cleaning in residential areas and enhanced weekend cleaning of town centres;
	a proactive campaign to reduce the incidence of environmental nuisance and deal effectively with derelict and degraded sites;
	to work with partners to deliver quality projects involving and engaging with youth.

We promise to:

	continue to clear 90% of reported fly-tips within 24 hours;
	increase prosecutions for environmental offences including litter and fly-tipping to a minimum of 15 a year;
	continue to take tough action on nuisance vehicles, extending to action on vehicles for sale and untaxed vehicles with the co-operation of the DVLA;
	continue to inspect 90% of abandoned vehicles within 3 working days and remove 90% of dangerous vehicles within 2 days of inspection;
	implement a community clearance scheme for bulky household items;
	develop and implement a parks and open spaces strategy embracing quality of life and sustainability issues;
	continue to survey residents in every part of the Borough and act to address concerns raised.

Our Priority – to minimise levels of waste produced and maximise recycling. We will:

	tackle the volume of household waste produced through an education programme;
	increase the tonnage of green waste;
	increase the percentage of household waste that is recycled to meet Government targets;
	implement a community clearance scheme.

Our Priority – to work with other boroughs, the GLA and transport providers over the long term to address traffic congestion as the highest priority identified by residents.

Community Safety

Our Priority – to provide a safer and more secure environment, including the enhancement of CCTV. We will:

	provide a more secure environment by enhancement of CCTV;
	ontribute to a reduction in youth offending;
	introduce street wardens to town centres and crime hot spots ;
	introduce more youth reparation programmes to tackle graffiti;
	improve the standard of lighting and security of our car parks;
	reduce accidents for children;
	expand the scheme of safer routes to school;
	deal quickly with raised pavements that are a risk to pedestrian safety.

Pleasant, Attractive and Successful Town
Centres and Neighbourhoods

Our aim – regeneration of town centres and neighbourhoods to provide an attractive environment in which to live, visit and work.

Our Priorities are to:

	achieve sustainable regeneration in our most deprived neighbourhoods;
	promote the development of local civic pride and a sense of neighbourhood;
	improve the quality and diversity of Merton's town centres;
	improve transport systems and reduce reliance on the private car;
	work with partners to facilitate the provision of more affordable housing;
	work with partners to seek to establish a new stadium for Wimbledon Football Club in or near the Borough;
	work with partners to seek to establish quality public hall provision with inclusive access for the whole community;
	seek to ensure adequate investment over the long term in the condition of pavements.

Education

Our aim – the achievement of standards of excellence in our schools and colleges and inclusive access to learning, the arts and schools

A Proud Record in Education

Labour aims to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential. Merton Council has a proud record of acting to ensure that children in this Borough have the best possible education. Year in and year out we have supported schools to the utmost of our capacity. This year, we are spending £810k more than the Government recommended expenditure level in order to support school budgets and enable schools to take up all the Standards Fund money available.

On Standards

	In 2000 OFSTED reported that good progress was made in Key Stages 1 and 2: standards of literacy at Key Stage 2 (11year olds) had risen by 5% since 1997 and standards in English, Maths and Science at Key Stage 3 (14 year olds) had improved by 7%, 4% and 8%. OFSTED's view was that Merton is implementing an effective strategy for school improvement.
	No schools have been identified by OFSTED as having serious weaknesses or are in special measures.
	The last 3 inspections of Merton High Schools were very positive.

Schools Re-organisation

We have taken the difficult and courageous course of beginning the complete re-organisation of Merton's schools (from 3 to 2 tier) in order to raise standards. Already there has been considerable investment in the 43 new primary schools each with a nursery class and 5 with Special Educational Needs (SEN) bases and we look forward to £50m being invested in the eight secondary schools, five of which will have specialist SEN bases and 3 special schools.

This year we have funded £2.366m growth in the schools budget including:

	£790k for schools re-organisation;
	£560k for school standards;
	£531k for SEN/Early Years and Childcare;
	£75k for ICT;
	an additional £250k for teacher salaries.

Our Priority £ raise standards of education, providing sufficient school places in well resources schools

Education Standards

We will aim to achieve higher percentages of:

	11 year olds attaining level 4 and level 5 in English;
	11 year olds attaining level 4 and level 5 in Mathematics;
	14 year olds attaining level 5 in English;
	14 year olds attaining level 5 in Mathematics;
	14 year olds attaining level 5 in Science;
	14 year olds attaining level 5 in ICT;
	16 year olds attaining 5 or more A-G grades including English and Mathematics;
	16 year olds attaining 5 or more A-C grades.

Special Educational Needs and Social Inclusion

We will provide sufficient resources to meet special educational needs in Merton, not least by establishing 10 fully resourced SEN bases in Merton schools. We will work with schools to address the problem of school exclusions. This year we aim to achieve:

	a full time education for excluded pupils;
	assist more children looked after by the authority to attain 5 A-C grades.

Lifelong Learning, the Arts and Sport

Our Priority – to work with partners to support lifelong and community learning through arts, sports and library projects.

We will:

	maintain the present quality of library provision with inclusive access;
	promote the success of Merton College and inclusive access to adult education;
	seek to develop with partners high quality arts, sports, youth and community facilities and promote inclusive access for the whole community.

Housing

This year we will ensure that all tenants and leaseholders of Council housing are afforded the opportunity in a ballot on the transfer of that housing stock to a newly created and accountable registered social landlord. The transfer will only go ahead if:

	more than half of all tenants eligible to vote do so;
	more than half of those who do vote are in favour of the proposal.

We will do everything we can to give effect to the ballot result and give effect to the views of tenants and leaseholders.

A Responsibility to Care

Our aim – support for vulnerable children that equals the standards of the best and support for vulnerable adults that meets their needs while maximising their independence.

Our Priority – build safer services for children over the next 3 years

We aim to have carried out each of the 28 recommendations made by the Social Services Inspectorate over the next three years.

Our Priority – ensure that services for eligible and vulnerable adults maximises their independence.

We will:

	assist vulnerable adults in moving to supported employment;
	help vulnerable adults to move into supported living arrangements;
	make arrangements for self advocacy for all service users;
	make arrangements for people with learning disabilities in need of supported accommodation to be placed;
	carry out regular reviews of the needs of all service users;
	continue the partnership work to address alcohol and drug problems.

Our Priority – ensure that services are effectively integrated across Housing, Social Services, Education and the NHS.

Access, Equality and Fairness

Equalities Merton – full and equal access to learning, employment, services and cultural life and the celebration of diversity.

Our Priorities:

	Following the successful introduction of Merton Link our "one stop shop" in the Civic Centre we aim to develop a call centre to enable residents and service users to have smooth and ready access to Merton's service.
	We will continue the crucial work to Implement the Stephen Lawrence Action Plan.
	We will continue to address issues of poverty and exclusion.
	We will carry forward work on Council buildings to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.
	We will work to make it easier for those with physical and sensory impairments to move about the Borough.

The Labour Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many not the few, where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe, and where we live together, freely in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect. Clause (iv) of the Labour Party Constitution