DON'T GAMBLE - VOTE CAMPBELL !

As the final days of the election campaign fast approach, Callum Campbell has been urging Dunblane and Bridge of Allan residents to ensure that they vote Scottish Conservative on 3rd May.

"The Scottish Conservatives have an enviable track record in local government. My election campaign has involved listening to residents over the last 12 months, and understanding what they want from Stirling Council. Only the Scottish Conservatives can beat Labour in Stirling.

"I am the only candidate standing that actually lives in Bridge of Allan and already takes an active part in the community. Because there are 2 Scottish Conservative candidates standing in ward 3 my colleague Hugh McCrea, a resident in Dunblane for 25 years,and I can represent and work for local residents. Only by voting Callum Campbell as your first preference and Hugh McCrea as your second preference will you get a strong team which can fully represent the ward and keep Stirling's finances under control"

On May 3rd - Don't gamble, vote Campbell!

ANNABEL GOLDIE VISITS STIRLING

Photograph shows L to R Callum Campbell (LG candidate Dunblane and Bridge of Allan), Cllr Tony Ffinch, ( Trossachs and Teith) Helen Scott (Stirling East) Annabel Goldie, Bob Dalrymple, Lesley Stein (Castle) Neil Benny ( Stirling West) Mary Kenyon (Trossachs and Teith)

• Scottish Conservative Leader lends support to Bob’s campaign
• An SNP vote will lead to “a bitter and messy divorce”

Annabel Goldie visited Stirling today to follow up her “State of the Union” address, in which she warned that Scotland would pay a heavy price for the failures of the Lib-Lab pact, if it resulted in an SNP-led administration.

Visiting the Robert the Bruce monument at the Bannockburn Heritage Centre, Annabel said:

“Alex Salmond’s consistent political rhetoric about his opponents is to dismiss them as “London-led parties”. Presumably he said that sitting in his office in Westminster. He makes outrageous comments suggesting that those who oppose independence are by implication anti-Scottish. If you vote SNP, you get a bitter and messy divorce.

Here in Stirling, the real opposition to Labour is Bob Dalrymple, the Conservative candidate. The Scottish Conservatives want to make devolution work. We stand for delivery, not divorce.”

Bob Dalrymple added:

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Annabel back to Stirling constituency.

“As the second-placed party last time, Stirling’s voters know that the best way to get rid of Labour is to vote for the Scottish Conservatives. Only we can beat Labour in Stirling, so people don’t have to choose between more of the same Labour failure on one hand, and splitting apart the UK on the other. The Union has served Scotland well for 300 years, and a Conservative vote will protect it.”

ACCESS ALL AREAS?

>(Above, l to r) - Bob Dalrymple Stirling Conservative candidate for Holyrood, Neil Benny Stirling Conservative council candidate for Stirling West, Murdo Fraser, Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives.)

Conservative Scottish Parliamentary candidate Bob Dalrymple and Council candidate Neil Benny today showed the way to prevent the reopening of Murrayshall Quarry in Cambusbarron, and issued a rebuke to the SNP for playing party politics over the issue and misleading the public.

Stirling’s Conservatives have discovered Hanson Ltd, who plan the new super-quarry do not in fact have access rights to the area.

Following conversations with Tarmac Northern Ltd, the Conservatives have established that the only access point is owned by Tarmac, which has no intention of sub-letting it to Hanson. Therefore for Hanson to start the super-quarry, Stirling Council would have to give planning permission for a new access point to be built.

Contrary to statements from the SNP and Stirling Council, the mineral consent for the whole area was in fact granted in 2001 following a national review of mineral consents. The relevant consent provides specifically that the access to the quarry should be along Polmaise road only.

Bob Dalrymple commented:

“While the SNP has postured, Stirling’s Conservatives have actually got some work done, and found a way forward that would address genuine local concerns. We have spoken directly to the site’s owner and operator Tarmac who have told us ‘As responsible landowners and quarry masters we will always listen to and take on board the genuine concerns of local residents. We have no intention of allowing our access to be used to reopen this quarry’.

Bob continued
“Provided Stirling Council doesn’t allow a new access point, there will be no super-quarry.

“I know there is an election on, but the SNP really has to learn that showboating in the press is no substitute for actually getting things done.”

Stirling West Conservative Council Candidate Neil Benny said:

“The SNP’s Scott Farmer has been seeking to stoke local anxiety over this matter purely for electoral advantage. The SNP should have done what any sensible public representative would have done – checked the facts first!

“The Conservative approach has been to examine the facts and then speak directly to the key landowner, namely Tarmac Northern Ltd., to get the truth. Tarmac already owns and operates another quarry at Denny, which is why they closed Murrayshall in the first place. Apart from removing a quantity of loose stone in the interests of safety from Murrayshall over the summer, they clearly have no need to reopen this quarry.

“This issue is too important to be the victim of SNP sensational media spin. The facts speak for themselves and we intend to tell the story as it is.”

CONSERVATIVES FOCUS ON EDUCATION

(Above, Left to Right- Hugh McCrea, Neil Benny, Callum Campbell, Mary Kenyon, Bob Dalrymple, and Cllrs Alistair Berrill and David Lonsdale)

Conservative candidates for next month's council elections today highlighted their plans for education in a Conservative administration. Attacking Labour's failure on education, they highlighted the fact that if Conservative alternative budgets had been adopted schools would be £1.7million better off.

Conservative candidate for Stirling West Neil Benny said "Labour has cut spending time and again on Stirling's children, not only this £1.7million, but also on cleaning and other frontline services . So much for "Education, Education, Education".

Conservative candidate for Teith and Trossachs, Mary Kenyon, said, "It's terrible the way that Labour has treated education in Stirling, especially rural schools.
The threatened closure of Lochearnhead Primary should worry all parents in Stirling. The Labour administration has openly targeted all small, rural schools for possible closure. Only a Conservative administration can save rural schools."

Launching their plans for an education system with more independence for teachers and more money for frontline services, Cllr Alistair Berrill, Conservative Education spokesman and candidate for Forth and Endrick said, "the Conservatives can succeed where Labour has failed. We will deliver an education system that gives teachers the freedom to teach and puts pupils and their parents at the centre"

CALLUM CAMPBELL'S ELECTION ADDRESS

Callum Campbell has launched his election address which will be delivered to all residents in the Dunblane and Bridge of Allan ward between now and the election on May 3rd. In his address, Callum notes the response by residents to his recent survey and highlights the fact that under a Labour led administration, Stirling residents pay the second highest council tax in Scotland. Callum said:

"Stirling council currently has 22 councillors. 10 are Scottish Conservative, 11 are Labour and only 1 is SNP. Only the Scottish Conservatives can realistically challenge this Labour-led administration. In order to make a change and ensure that you don't wake up to the same poorly managed Stirling Council on 4th May,vote for the team that is determined to deliver improved services and improved efficiency.

"My goal is to ensure that you get value for money from your council tax. It is time to put and end to waste and profligacy and introduce a new era of efficiency. By electing me and my colleague Hugh McCrea on 3rd May, it needn't be that way. Don't Just hope for a better council...Vote for it!"

Callum's election address also outlines the Scottish Conservatives local government manifesto for Stirling. The manifesto is centred around 5 key areas including Tackling Ant-Social behaviour, Delievring Value for Money, Succeeding in Education, Promoting Civic Society and Providing a Greener, Cleaner Stirling. The address also includes some background information about Callum and his family, and background information about his team candidate Hugh McCrea from Dunblane.

Callum also states his desire to restore pride to Bridge of Allan and Dunblane and cites the disgrace of the longstanding saga of The Museum Hall, the crumbling war memorial, the state of the local roads and the decaying public sporting facilities including the neglect of the tennis courts at Keir Street.

"Only the Scottish Conservatives will restore pride to your villages and towns once again!" Callum said.

Callum's election address will be landing on your doorstep soon.

A CLEAN SWEEP BY THE CONSERVATIVES

‘It’s time to Bin Labour's Rubbish policies’ – say Stirling Conservatives’
Stirling Conservative’s team of Council candidates today outlined their plans for real improvements to waste collection in Stirling District.

In week two of the campaign they are focusing on everyday issues that affect local people.

Bridge of Allan candidate, Callum Campbell, said, “People are fed up with Labour’s failure on basic services. Having your bins and recycling box emptied on the allotted day isn’t exactly rocket science, but after spending £2.5 Million on new equipment this Council still fails to deliver.

Yet in Stirling, no Labour Councillor takes any blame. Instead they blame the management, the equipment and even blame their own workforce. We say it’s a lack of leadership by Labour’s failed Councillors, pure and simple.”

Conservative Candidate for Stirling West, Neil Benny said, “ Everywhere I go, almost every elector I meet has his own horror story of failure of Stirling Council’s basic services. And this on the back of the latest figures showing that refuse collection is costing £170 per year per household – the highest in Scotland!

Hugh McRae, Conservative Candidate for Dunblane said, “Labour is running scared on this issue. I have floods of complaints about late collections with some people waiting up to three days for a collection. On top of that it’s costing us an arm and a leg.”

The recently launched Conservative Manifesto, “Don’t just hope for a better council – vote for it”, lays out plans for an expansion to the waste service to include more recycling. It also lays out plans for a Conservative Administration to lead on service delivery issues, with more front line staff given the responsibility to deliver.



Conservative Parliamentary candidate, Bob Dalrymple said, “These are the bread and butter issues that Tories are fighting for across Stirling and across Scotland. It is services like waste collection that people write to me about and Labour's failure can be reversed by a Conservative administration in Stirling".

STIRLING COUNCIL MANIFESTO LAUNCHED

Local Tories have published their Stirling Council manifesto, setting out the priorities for change that a Conservative-run Administration will implement.

The policy programme is the most comprehensive and ambitious the local party has produced. It contains 30 objectives and commitments across five key themes, namely:

• Real value for your money
• A cleaner, greener Stirling
• Ensuring educational success
• Reducing anti-social conduct
• More public say in council affairs

The document, entitled Don’t hope for a better Council – Vote for it, has been published by the 11-strong team of Tory council candidates after extensive consultation with residents and community groups throughout the district.

25,000 copies of a summary of the manifesto will be delivered through letterboxes locally in the run up to May 3rd.

Cllr Alistair Berrill, candidate for Forth & Endrick Ward, said:

“Local residents now pay the second highest council tax in Scotland, up from 18th highest eleven years ago. Yet satisfaction levels are falling and several council services have been cut back.

“Local Conservatives believe the council can and should deliver in a far more effective and positive manner, for those who use, pay for, and provide services. We are concentrating on what the priorities should be, not just for a Conservative-led Administration, but for any Administration.

“The top priority that residents have identified for us is to install a new financial discipline in Stirling Council, ensuring value for money. Conservatives will bring the council’s finances under control and end the massive deficits of recent years, which have led to hefty rises in Council Tax. This will particularly benefit those on fixed and modest incomes, such as local pensioners and young families.

“We have also set out the action we will take to make our city and district cleaner and greener, to combat anti-social behaviour, strengthen parental involvement with schools, and do more to nurture our local civic society.”

Neil Benny, candidate for Stirling West, added:
“It is not always a lack of money that is the problem, but the priorities pursued by the current Labour Administration that are wrong. Residents are paying a lot more in tax, but feel they are getting less in return.
“The Labour Party has run Stirling Council for 11 years. It is clearly time for a change of Administration, and Conservatives are best placed to deliver that.
“Local residents needn’t hope for change. On May 3rd they can vote for it.”

The Conservative manifesto commitments include:

Real value for your money: A Conservative-run Stirling Council will
 Install a new fiscal discipline in Stirling Council, so that it lives within its means. The council’s finances will be brought under control, bringing to an end the large financial deficits witnessed in recent years and which have led to hefty rises in council tax;
 Maintain council assets such as schools, roads, and community halls, in good condition. Letting them fall into disrepair only costs more in the long run and is a false economy;
 Listen to new ideas and strengthen the role of local communities in determining the quality of services to be delivered, such as grass cutting, street sweeping and toilet maintenance. Local communities will be able to propose new ideas for improving services directly to council committees, such as the introduction of voluntary roads inspectors or speed monitors.

A cleaner, greener Stirling: A Conservative-run Stirling Council will
 Build a recycling service that allows you to recycle more and different materials;
 Lead by example on energy conservation, beginning by reducing its own energy consumption;
 Make our streets, parks and open spaces cleaner and safer, with an expanded street sweeping, litter picking and grass cutting service;
 Examine the feasibility of providing discounted Residents Parking Permits for those with less polluting cars;
 Review the effectiveness of the area’s flood prevention and drainage systems, and implement necessary improvements.

Ensuring educational success: A Conservative-run Stirling Council will
 Support a diversity of education provision and popular smaller primary schools;
 Encourage parental involvement and school boards;
 Give headteachers more say in managing their schools, especially over discretionary spending (they can’t even hire a local plumber to fix a leaking tap at the moment!);
 Aid schools which want to establish their own trust funds, in order to tap their alumni network of former pupils;
 Strengthen links between schools and local firms as part of the Determined to Succeed enterprise initiative;

Reducing anti-social conduct: A Conservative-run Stirling Council will
 Establish a more visible presence of community wardens on our streets, to help combat vandalism, graffiti, dog fouling, and littering;
 Use its presence on the Police Board to argue for more police officers on the beat, and to support the recruitment of special constables;
 Oppose police force merger, as it would make the police less accountable and undermine local community policing;
 Expand the number of officials who have enforcement powers over litter and dog fouling;
 Establish an enhanced grants scheme for community councils, to help them fund local activities and youth projects;
 Create a junior community wardens scheme, to strengthen young peoples’ civic engagement and awareness of the effects of anti-social conduct.

More public say in council affairs: A Conservative-run Stirling Council will
 Cherish and nurture voluntary endeavour and public service;
 Support democratically-elected local institutions like Community Councils, rather than usurp them through costly Area Forums;
 Support local commerce where it wishes to create Business Improvement Districts;
 Reform the council’s committee system to make the Administration more accountable and allow residents and local communities to propose new ideas.