It's party time

There are only five things on the Labour manifesto "menu", and they all sound delicious. Among the party's pledges are a guaranteed job for every school leaver and a computer in the home of every primary schoolchild.

But wait. Just around the corner is the health food shop. In here, the Liberal Democrats offer up a wholesome 37-page alternative menu. Choose us, the Lib Dems promise, and the city will be leaner, healthier and more efficient.

They would find £1 million extra a year for fixing crumbling footpaths, roads and car parks. There would be just 15 minutes between buses on routes to shops, workplaces and major amenities. And they pledge to go directly to the citizens to ask how the council's budget should be spent - by holding a referendum every year.

The Lib Dems' yellow-fronted manifesto, York 2000, is a lengthy critique of the state of the city and how the party would seek to improve it.

But before deciding, there is another temptation. On the other side of the road, a baker's shop window, and, inside, a gorgeous, sticky bun cries out. It is the Conservatives. The salivating message? Lower taxes.

The Tories are aiming to stage a comeback on City of York Council, and lower council taxes for all citizens is their key priority. The pledge is top of their Ten-Point Plan for the city, which also includes reform of the schools' admissions system, reducing the cost of residents'-only parking and offering more protection to the green belt.

So how does the 53-seat battleground of City of York Council look?

At the moment, Labour hold 30 seats, Lib Dems 18, Conservatives 3 and Independents 2.

It could be a close fight. If Labour loses four seats, it would no longer have a majority of the 53 seats and the council would be plunged into No Overall Control.

The Lib Dems are pitching themselves as the only party in a position to bring Labour down, though they would need to gain nine extra seats to wrest full control for themselves.

In most wards of the city, voters face a straight choice between Labour, Lib Dems and the Conservatives, but there are other parties too.

The Greens are fielding nine candidates in five wards clustered together: Knavesmire, Bishophill, Guildhall, Fishergate and Heslington.

They have had their strongest support there in the past, probably, they think, because many of the issues they campaign about, like traffic congestion, cuts in council services and out-of-town shopping developments, are relevant there.

The Greens also say they are specifically targeting Knavesmire to challenge Coun Bob Fletcher, who as Labour's chairman of social services oversaw the closure of the Barstow House old people's home.

Apart from two Independents - who are standing in Upper Poppleton and Dunnington and Kexby - the only other party candidate is James Stewart, the sole representative of miners' hero Arthur Scargill's Socialist Labour Party.

Mr Stewart, who is standing in Holgate, believes there should be free creche, playgroup and nursery provision, opposes privatising council services and objects to the high cost of the council's public relations department.

Probably the biggest battle on May 6 will be convincing people to come out and vote.

Local elections have notoriously low turnouts, and last time, in 1995, fewer than half of those registered to vote bothered.

What the big three promise the voters of York

LABOUR

The Labour Party's manifesto consists of five pledges. They are that, if elected, the party will, by May 2003:

Reduce traffic congestion by seven per cent

Ensure a pre-school place for every three-year-old

Guarantee a job opportunity to every school leaver

Cut crime by ten per cent

Provide a computer in the home of every primary school child

CONSERVATIVE

The Conservative Party's manifesto consists of a Ten-Point Plan for York:

Low council tax a priority

Abolish self-promoting council propaganda

Zero-tolerance of fraud

Reform schools' admissions system to provide real choice for parents

Preserve York's green belt

Target money on key services like education and social services

Reduce the cost of residents-only parking

Review traffic management for better traffic flow and less pollution

Consult before, not after, making controversial decisions

Work closely with the police to tackle crime

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT

The Lib Dems' York 2000 manifesto is 37 pages long. Its main points are:

Tackling York's top problems: threats to jobs, underspending on schools and police, poor transport

Making York a better place to live: restore pride in the city by cleaning eyesores like Lendal Bridge, and fixing broken footpaths and roads. Extend kerbside recycling scheme and provide wheeled bins for all. No changes for elderly and disabled without consulting them. Replace Neighbourhood Forums by elected Community Councils, with proper budgets, controlled locally.

Making York work: cash to promote York to potential employers, employees and visitors; cheap rents for small businesses; re-skilling of labour force

Investing in education: spending per pupil in primary and secondary schools is lower than any city in Yorkshire, and there is a massive backlog of repairs. Lib Dems would: reduce class sizes, make sure schools are fit for children, provide school capacity where children live rather than where schools were built, make every York school a good school. Adult education discretionary grants would be restored.

Making York safer: crime and fear of crime must be reduced. York gets less money from Home Office per head of population to spend on the police than anywhere else in region. Lib Dems would fight for more cash for officers, CCTV, better street lighting and mobile surveillance cameras.

The Lib Dems would pay for their pledges by taking £5 million from the council's "excessive" £12 million cash reserves, cutting £500,000 a year from the "propaganda" budget - the council's public relations department - and saving £1 million a year by more efficient housekeeping. They would also demand more money from the Government.

Battle lines drawn for Ryedale election

Main political parties outline their manifestos

By Adrian Royles

Just a fortnight before the local council elections, and the three main parties are battling to win the hearts and minds of Ryedale voters.

Electors will go to the polls on Thursday, May 6, to choose a new district council to succeed the present hung authority.

The last elections in May, 1995, took place a year before the southern part of Ryedale was transferred to the new City of York Council.

When the slimmed-down Ryedale came into being, no party had overall control - with nine Liberal Democrats; nine Independents; four Conservatives; and one Labour councillor.

The balance shifted slightly when Kirby Misperton councillor Vivienne Hughes, who is not standing for re-election, switched her allegiance from the Liberal Democrats to the Conservatives.Liberal Democrats

This time around, the Liberal Democrats are fielding a record 20 candidates, 12 of them women - the first time men have been in the minority. Their policy statement says they intend to "continue to provide the maximum services to local people in the most cost-effective way to keep council tax to the lowest possible level".

It says the council tax for a Band D property for the last three years has been £118, £114 and £119.

Liberal Democrats also propose "to ensure that the Government is aware of the special needs of Ryedale, particularly since local government reorganisation dramatically affected the cost of delivering services".

And they say they will "work with other agencies to attract money to Ryedale in partnership schemes for the benefit of the people of Ryedale".

Their manifesto also states: "Nationally, of the three main parties, the Liberal Democrats are recognised as having the most effective environmental policies.

"Ryedale Liberal Democrats have implemented these policies in an effective and practical way. For example, Ryedale has the best recycling rate in the north of England."

On the question of democracy, they state: "We would look to introduce consultation measures with the people of Ryedale on important issues."

The Conservatives, who are fielding 18 candidates, claim: "The old district council ran away from big decisions. It failed to consult the public effectively. It had no firm goals or direction. It drifted aimlessly."

In offering voters a "contract" to take Ryedale into the 21st century, they say they will:

work to bring money into Ryedale from other organisations

Create genuine partnerships with business, voluntary groups and the North York Moors National Park

Establish parking policies which make sense for the people, not just money for the council

Develop fresh and positive approaches to the future of local market towns

Pursue new methods of funding for much-needed highway improvements, at Norton and Rillington in particular

Implement a Clean And Tidy Ryedale campaign to bring environmental improvement for all.

The Tories also pledge to listen to public opinion before taking major decisions and say they will "spend taxpayers' money in ways that benefit all of Ryedale, not just parts of it".

Other pledges include making crime prevention a top priority; supporting the elderly and disabled; asking young people about their needs; and helping the "forgotten" rural community to obtain a fair share of the amenities for which they pay tax.Labour

Labour, which has five candidates, says: "Following the 1997 General Election, more of rural Britain is now represented by Labour MPs than by Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs put together. The old argument about Labour being irrelevant to rural areas is dead."

The party's policy statement says: "Labour has steadily increased its impact in Ryedale in recent years, with a growing share of the local vote."

It states: "Unlike the Conservatives, Labour believes in local government, in local choice, in local decisions.

"The Labour Government is investing a lot of thought, time and effort in local government. The Government agenda is about the renewal of local democratic government, leading local communities and serving local people.

"This will involve new ways of working, including clearer leadership structures.

This is particularly important for Ryedale District Council, where the current lack of coherent leadership limits the council's ability to play a clear role in the community."

Labour's five pledges for Ryedale are to:

Establish a forum for each of the district's market towns

Reduce Ryedale's parking charges

Give tackling Ryedale's transport problems the highest priority

Ensure the economic well-being of Ryedale

Initiate a major campaign to engage younger people in local democracy.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.