Watford mayoral candidates share their manifestos

Here is each candidate's manifesto to help you make your mind up before you go to the polling station on May 3...

Conservative candidate George Jabbour believes he has the right skills, experiences, attitude and record to keep Watford on the right track.

He writes: Infrastructure, housing, jobs and transport are the key priorities and I have got the skills and experiences in engineering and business to deliver on my pledges.

Working together with Watford MP Richard Harrington, our county council and the Conservative government to benefit our residents, I will ensure Watford continues to attract job-creating businesses, has suitable roads, trains and bus links, and builds affordable housing for young people in the right place, complementing the local character, to keep Watford’s families together.

I will also continue working together with the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd to maintain community safety, meet the needs of victims and make offenders pay.

I am passionate about our town and have a proven record of making a difference in Watford.

My initiative Watford Together deploys the energy and dedication of committed volunteers to support local causes.

I will also work hard to keep our town clean. Even before the election, I have already launched the Watford Against Flytipping group to raise awareness of this issue and he also started Watford’s Rubbish Friends to fight litter.

It’s time for politicians in our Town Hall to start working together. So I have pledged to work with both Labour and the Lib Dems to serve the interests of our residents.

My other pledges: 

• More shopper bus routes
• Better use of CCTV cameras to catch offenders and to reduce crime
• Securing the future of Watford Indoor Bowls Club, an important community facility
• Increasing the number of disabled parking bays
• More drinking fountains to cut plastic waste and promote healthier lifestyle choices

Conservative candidate George Jabbour

Peter Taylor, who is deputy mayor of Watford and the Liberal Democrat candidate, wants to ensure the council remains being "high-performing".

He writes: I am proud that under Liberal Democrat leadership, Watford Council has gone from being “one of the worst councils in the country” according to government inspectors to a recent assessment which described us as a “highperforming” council.

We have succeeded in attracting new investment to provide jobs and a strong local economy. We played a decisive role in securing the future of Watford General Hospital.

We have delivered improvements to council services and facilities, from new leisure centres to improved recycling and refuse collections.

Watford is a successful town, but that brings its own challenges, in particular the everincreasing pressure from the Government to deliver more housing within our tight boundaries.

If elected, I will work closely with neighbouring councils and other public bodies to secure investment in public transport, new schools and better health facilities.

We will update our local plan to shape new development rather than be at the mercy of developers and government planning inspectors.

By working with the police we have helped reduce crime and antisocial behaviour and will continue this to make sure Watford remains a safe town.

Watford’s mayor must bring people together and make sure that this is a town for everyone.

If elected, I will work closely with our fantastic community groups to support those who face particular challenges - working together to tackle rough sleeping, helping people who are isolated or lonely and making Watford a dementia-friendly community.

During the election campaign we will publish a full manifesto, which will include the following key priorities:

• A thriving town: work with business for new jobs and a strong local economy.
• Value for money: manage council finances well to avoid damaging cuts in services.
• Quality parks and leisure centres: continue improving our parks, open spaces and leisure facilities.
• More affordable homes: work with housing associations to provide affordable homes for local families.
• Better public transport: invest in new bus services, fight for better rail services, introduce a bike-hire scheme and improve facilities for cyclists and pedestrians so that we keep Watford moving.

Liberal Democrat candidate Peter Taylor

Labour hopeful Jagtar Singh Dhindsa says it’s time for change in Watford.

He writes: If there is a purpose in having an elected mayor in a small district council like Watford it is to make a difference – to act as an advocate for our town and to win policies and resources from the county and government that will make life better for everyone.

On this test our outgoing Mayor and the ruling Liberal Democrats have clearly failed.

She was asleep on her watch when the Metropolitan Line Extension stalled.

Not a word of protest when her Government cancelled the rebuilding plans for Watford Hospital in 2011.

Despite promising to reduce Watford council tax to the county average 16 years ago, we all still pay the highest in Hertfordshire.

The time has come to review whether we are all getting value for money from having an elected mayor.

The Mayor’s salary and pension, a political advisor, a case worker and a personal assistant costs us £210,000. There are nine other district councils in Hertfordshire.

There is no evidence that Watford is run any better for having a mayor.

My first pledge is to give you a say on whether to keep this expensive system.

In my first year of office, I will ask the council to support a referendum on whether to keep the mayoralty.

In the meantime, I pledge to halve the cost of running the Mayor’s office, including taking a pay cut myself.

These savings can be spent on local services.

Also:

• Tackling fly-tipping. Prosecute culprits but bring back free collections of bulky items.
• Build more affordable and social housing for local people.
• Get our new hospital built.
• I will lobby ministers and not rest until construction starts.
• Support children’s services and bring back supervised play areas.
• Lobby county and government for more school places and a new secondary school.

Labour candidate Jagtar Singh Dhindsa