Views on our borough

Liberal Democrats, John Burbidge-King, candidate in Oakley and North Waltham

THE Liberal Democrats have outlined in their new election manifesto that they are looking to create a safer, fairer and greener environment.

But their vision of the borough also includes promoting the historic side of Basingstoke through the regeneration of the Top of the Town.

Mr Burbidge-King said: "It is the last piece of Basingstoke that has that history."

He suggests cleaning up the Top of the Town, improving shop fronts, helping the weekly market to thrive and creating a street caf culture, perhaps with street artists, to help the area present a viable alternative to Festival Place.

The Liberal Democrat vision of Basingstoke also includes an upgrade of The Malls and business centres such as Basing View.

Mr Burbidge-King said: "One of the things I think we could do is hold a competition using some of the best designers and planners to look at a holistic approach to development."

The Liberal Democrats want to make the area a business-friendly environment, and believe that the borough should be promoted as a place to spend a day out, and its leisure and arts facilities should become more accessible to all through a discount card scheme.

In the party's vision of the future, Basingstoke will face some expansion, but they aim to keep development minimal in the borough's smaller towns and villages.

Mr Burbidge-King said: "We have to bite the bullet about where we are going to put people. I think we could be looking at a bigger Basingstoke."

Green, Darren Shirley, candidate in Eastrop

THE Green Party vision of the future of the borough is one where the economy is driven by small businesses rather than big corporations, and communities are more involved in conservation and art projects.

The party plans to launch a campaign promoting locally-grown food, and hopes to put together a directory of places, such as Laverstoke Park.

Darren Shirley said: "It is better for our local economy if money is kept locally. We want small businesses to be pushed more and supported by the borough council.

"We do not want more department stores. We have already got Festival Place which is drawing in lots of people and lots of cars that cause more trouble, such as traffic problems."

The party would like to see more help for people starting up small businesses, rents and business rates lowered and small, local businesses to be part of the regeneration of The Malls.

Mr Shirley believes the borough's heritage and woodland should be better promoted, and the council should be working to encourage people to visit the borough's rural areas.

He said: "Involvement in the local community does not receive enough attention from the council as a whole."

The party wants to see more local people take part in art and culture, and envisages putting more money into community and school art projects and helping them attract more outside funding.

The Green Party is against the future expansion of Basingstoke and the borough's towns and villages.

Conservative, Councillor John Leek, Conservative party leader

PROSPERITY and steady growth are the buzzwords for the Conservative vision of the borough.

The party sees itself as "the party of business" and wants to encourage existing businesses to expand while actively attracting growth industries and international firms to the town.

The party also hopes to bring popular retailers such as Primark to Basingstoke and encourage the opening of more boutiques as part of a regeneration of The Malls and the Top of the Town.

Cllr Leek said: "We need to be marketing this town to companies and encouraging small companies because they tend to grow faster and are a very important source of future growth for the town."

He said this will also involve providing incentives for employers and workers to live in the borough instead of commuting, by placing more emphasis on building larger houses instead of small one and two-bedroomed homes.

Cllr Leek said: "We have got some fantastic facilities. I don't think people realise what gems we have got. We should promote Basingstoke as a wonderful place to live."

The party envisages continued expansion of Basingstoke and some expansion of larger towns in the borough, such as Whitchurch and Tadley, but at a steady pace. On the other hand, they want development in the villages kept small to provide affordable homes for local people.

Cllr Leek said: "Every town needs to continue to expand. It is the pace of the development that concerns us."

Overall, the Conservatives want all residents to believe that the borough is a "wonderful place to live".

Labour, Councillor Paul Harvey, current leader of the borough council

LABOUR's vision of the borough is one where business and education continue to be linked to increase the prosperity of the past 30 years.

Cllr Harvey says that a Labour-run council will continue to help local colleges and schools work with business to provide the skills employers want, and he hopes to see educational facilities expand.

He said: "The missing piece of the puzzle is to attract a major university."

Business will remain a mix of multi-national companies and vibrant small businesses, and Labour plans to regenerate Basing View with new restaurant and leisure facilities.

The party also wants to see the borough "become famous for social justice" by continuing to regenerate areas such as Popley and Oakridge, and making the area safer through the expansion of community wardens, with the possible introduction of town centre wardens.

Arts and culture are also part of the vision for the future, by continuing to invest, and encourage outside investment, in facilities ranging from The Anvil to Central Studio.

Cllr Harvey said: "The strengths of Basingstoke and Deane are the people, the arts and culture facilities, and the sense of community spirit."

The party also has a big vision for New Road, which it hopes to transform into an old town shopping centre with traditional shop fronts.

The party sees the future growth of the town focused on Basingstoke rather than other areas of the borough, but at a pace that meets demand from residents.

Independent, Councillor Martin Biermann, who is standing again in Chineham

COUNCILLOR Martin Biermann wants a cleaner and greener borough with a more unique character, and for the town to throw off its "Boringstoke" image.

He is continuing to push for the extension of the Basingstoke Canal into the town to give the area "heart and character".

Cllr Biermann said: "To me, Festival Place could be any place, anywhere. Basingstoke needs more of a unique character.

"I'm distinctly against the idea of aiming for something like city status at the moment."

He does not want to force expansion of the town, but he believes, as part of its natural growth, the town could extend south of the motorway. He said: "If it grows naturally that's fine, but I do not think we should be going out to expand."

Cllr Biermann wants to see regeneration plans extended to include the area around the railway station to link it to Basing View, Daneshill and the rest of the town centre.

His vision of arts and culture in the town would see more independent arthouse films promoted alongside the multiplex cinemas.

The future of business for Cllr Biermann is to allow natural growth rather than campaigning to bring business in, and he wants to encourage Winchester University to expand its foothold in Basingstoke.

He also believes that more promotion is needed of what Basingstoke has to offer, and the council should create avenues such as community radio stations to bolster pride in the borough.