Crawley Labour councillors have released this year’s manifesto in the run up to polling day for the 2024 Borough Council elections with a range of aspirations and promises for an exciting future for many of the council’s services. 

If re-elected with a fresh mandate on May 2^nd by residents, Labour councillors today published their wide-ranging manifesto providing a realistic and detailed plan on how those service areas will be improved even more.

The 42-page document sets out a comprehensive plan for the next two years, with notable pledges including:

• More council and affordable housing to help relieve the housing emergency in the Borough, with approximately 500 more in the pipeline for building works to begin or being completed within the next two years;

• Improvements to make Crawley Town Centre even better to visit and invest in, with a new market and the regeneration of the Martlets, Western Boulevard, Station Gateway and bus station all coming forward;

• More ambitious targets and action on net zero to address the Climate Emergency, including decarbonisation programmes and looking into the viability of a new phase of the District Heat Network to cover more of the Town with cheaper, efficient energy;

• Maintaining seven grass cuts in our neighbourhoods to keep them neat and tidy, far and away the most in any area of West Sussex, and to protect our trees and the Borough’s excellent canopy cover;

• Bring forward the Innovation Centre for developing green technology in Crawley, as well as encouraging more apprenticeships in emerging industries for our young people;

• Increased investment in all of Crawley’s parks and nature centre, building on a proud record of excellence and bringing forward exciting plans for Goffs Park in particular, and

• Develop and finalise a cultural strategy across Crawley to provide even more opportunities to participate and enjoy Arts and Culture for all local residents.

Launching the manifesto, Labour Leader of Crawley Borough Council Michael Jones said,

“Despite the incredibly challenging times, and the fact Crawley Borough Council takes by far the lowest share of the council tax bill residents receive, we are proud of what are still able to provide people as a council – and we want to make this even better in the coming years. 

“A re-elected Labour council will aim to achieve this ambitious but detailed programme.  These are still exciting times and we are fortunate to live in a borough that is vibrant and thriving.  This is the plan for the services that the Borough Council is responsible for that will make us an even more successful and prosperous community, as well as continuing to address the challenges we face such as the housing emergency within the borough.”

Supporting Cllr Jones’ comments, Deputy Leader of the council Atif Nawaz (Lab, Three Bridges) said:

“This is a great manifesto which we are confident that the residents of Crawley can hold us to our promises. 

“The Labour Borough Council has delivered for residents time and again. 

“This is in sharp contrast to Tory-run West Sussex County Council whose terrible record on the state of the roads is there for all to see.”

A link to the full manifesto can be found at the Crawley Labour website, link below:

https://www.crawleylabour.org.uk/manifestos/