Who should I vote for in Glasgow local elections 2022? Policies of each party explained

The four major parties representing Glasgow - SNP, Labour, Conservatives and Greens - have published their 2022 manifestos with the aim of securing your vote.

Each one has put a different key issue at the heart of their manifesto, whether that is cleaning the streets or promising a ‘transport revolution’.

On May 5, when you get the chance to vote and choose who should represent you, you should be informed about what the different parties want for the future of Glasgow.

We’ve looked at the manifestos for the four parties to help you make your decision.

SNP

The SNP, who are fielding 50 candidates, say they will introduce a new stricter licensing scheme for short-term lets as well as introduce a ‘built heritage commission’ to better protect old buildings.

Among a broad range of policies, the manifesto promises to “introduce a presumption in favour of refurbishment and retrofitting rather than demolition of existing buildings.”

It would mean current properties would remain standing and get a makeover unless there is no alternative as the carbon intensive process of knocking them down damages the environment.

Commenting on the proposal SNP councillor Angus Millar said: “We are moving away from the demolition and rebuilding model. As far as possible we want to promote the reuse of buildings.”

Councillor Millar said the party has aspirations for tackling climate change and increasing the number of affordable homes and the forthcoming new city development plan will offer the opportunity to tackle those issues.

Modern buildings would also be more likely to be saved and could be altered to make them more attractive according to Councillor Millar.

A proposal for a built heritage commission has also been put forward in the manifesto. It said the commission would draw on “independent expertise to help inform policy responses and advocate for powers and resources to protect the city’s built heritage.”

Summing up the manifesto, Councillor Millar said: “It really is a comprehensive document. We wanted to set out the achievements over the last five years. And we have set out our plans and aspirations for the future.”

Tighter restrictions on short term lets in the city, which includes Airbnbs, have also been put forward.

Other manifesto pledges include support for Glasgow’s most vulnerable households, work to expand the city’s tech sector, investment in more council-owned renewable energy generation, and much more.

Read the full manifesto HERE.

Labour

Labour’s city leader Malcolm Cunning has pledged to tidy up the streets.

Fielding 43 candidates across 23 wards for the local election, Councillor Cunning said Labour would pour £6 million into creating a ‘cleaner, greener’ Glasgow scheme.

As well as tackling litter on the street and bin collections from homes, the party promises to tidy up spaces that are privately owned.

Councillor Cunning said: “If you look out your window at a pile of rubbish you don’t care who owns it. Just tidy it up.”

And a senior councillor would be dedicated to keeping the city clean.

The Linn politician said: “We will appoint a cleansing tsar. I have never had so many complaints as a councillor.”

He outlined a plan to to hire 250 cleansing staff in the next two years and mentioned 400 training posts leading to full time jobs over three years.

He attributed some of the blame for the state of the city on £350 million being removed from the council budget in Glasgow over the last 10 years.

Residents have been complaining about escalating problems of piles of rubbish lying on streets and overflowing bins for months.

Councillor Cunning said in the last five years there have been 290 fewer cleansing staff.

The politician who has been a councillor since 2003 said: “That doesn’t happen without consequences on the street. There is no resilience in the services. With Covid or two weeks of bad weather – the system begins to creak and then you are playing catchup.”

Pointing out other priorities in the Labour manifesto, he listed Covid and economic recovery, aiding Sauchiehall Street and looking at ways to ensure bus services meet public needs.

Read the full manifesto HERE.

Greens

The Greens’ manifesto pledges to end a “council knows best” culture, working with communities and staff to solve the city’s “waste crisis”.

It promises a “transport revolution” with cleaner, greener, publicly-run services and to tackle the housing crisis, with rent controls, more social housing and improved enforcement powers.

Other plans include a conversation on bringing Glasgow Life, the arms-length body running the city’s leisure and culture venues, back in-house and to reduce car journeys to school by more than half. A tourist tax, to raise “up to £6m a year”, would also be considered.

The Greens want to set up a Just Transition board, with members from universities, colleges, employers and trade unions, to deliver jobs and skills needed to end reliance on fossil fuels and create a cabinet member role for climate and nature emergencies.

They also want to create a requirement for all new homes to meet net-zero standards, be connected to public transport, city cycle networks and walking routes. The manifesto pledges to reduce car journeys to school by more than 50% with schools supported to develop a sustainable travel plan.

It puts forward plans for a city wide 20mph speed limit on residential roads in the first year of the council term, a comprehensive walking and cycling network and free public transport pilot. Greens would also lobby the Scottish Government to extend free bus travel to the Subway and future Clyde Metro.

There would be a conversation on the future of the M8, the development of options for a free publicly-owned electric shuttle bus service in Glasgow city centre and extended operating hours for the Subway if the Greens were elected.

The manifesto also proposes to bring more empty homes back into use, with more dedicated empty homes officers and greater use of compulsory purchase powers and a Glasgow Heritage Commission to make recommendations on ending neglect of old buildings.

Read the full manifesto HERE.

Conservatives

Cleaning up Glasgow’s streets is “at the heart” of Tories’ agenda, while preserving all Glasgow Life buildings is also a priority.

Local group leader Thomas Kerr confirmed that his party would put in place a long-term strategy to preserve every Glasgow Life building if his party was elected next month.

He said: “One of the key policies in our manifesto is to re-open, reinstate and have a maintenance plan to make sure the People’s Palace has a long-term future. We would be working with the UK Government to ensure more money through the levelling up fund.”

The Conservative Group has reconfirmed its position to re-open all Glasgow Life facilities as soon as possible and to create a long term preservation plan for them.

The manifesto also pledges to focus firmly on people’s local priorities including reversing the three-weekly bin collections, scrapping the bulk uplift charge, investing in a “Clean Up” Glasgow apprenticeship programme, demanding an immediate deep clean of the city and setting up an environmental enforcement team to crack down on those who fly-tip in the city.

The Tories are also committed to delivering a full year of business rates relief in 2022-23, investing in a City Centre economic masterplan, easing planning rules to allow good housing to be developed and giving schools more powers over decisions they make.

Mr Kerr added: “Our fully costed, five-point plan to clean up Glasgow can change that and ensure residents’ needs are met when it comes to bin collections and the state of their local area.

“As we recover from the pandemic, we must engage with businesses and listen to their concerns and act on them. That’s where our focus will be rather than being dismissive as the SNP all too often are.”

Read the full manifesto HERE.