VOTERS across Cumbria will head to the polls on Thursday for the county council elections. Representatives from each party tell the Evening Mail why they are the ones to take Cumbria forward.
"The county council elections offer the people of Cumbria a genuine say in how they want their local services to look in four years’ time.
"Why four years you might ask? Well in 2010/11 the Labour government gave us £144.5m of grant funding, in 2017/18 the Tories gave us £40.6m, and if still in power in 2020/21 they’ll give us £0.
"This represents an immediate danger to your social care services, your fire and rescue service, your schools, roads and libraries. The next four years of Cumbria County Council will see a fundamental shift in local government; all of our services will change, from those that protect the most vulnerable to those that we all use daily.
"We will face some very big questions:
"What services we can and should provide?
"With year on year cuts to the social care budget – what next for Cumbria’s super-aging population?
"At the 2015 General Election the Tories pledged to protect school budgets, but as pupil numbers and costs increase this has been exposed as a sham and schools across Cumbria face a bleak future. How can we protect them?
"Cumbria desperately needs investment in our roads and railways; the government makes big promises but fails to deliver so who can we work with to secure improved investment?
"What will post-Brexit Britain mean for our communities, businesses and industries?
"In these uncertain times we have chosen the following seven key areas to focus on in our manifesto: education and skills; health and social care; fire and rescue service; roads and transport; economy and infrastructure; libraries, archives and communities, and employment and recruitment – within which we make 22 pledges to the people of Cumbria; promises that show the breadth of our offer and the depth of our dedication."
"I believe the local elections represent a clear choice for Cumbria; the offer of a fresh start with a Conservative-led council that will not only listen to residents but work tirelessly to deliver quality and cost effective frontline services.
"We will put residents at the heart of our decisions and always be upfront and honest.
"With a strong proven record of leadership a Conservative administration in Cumbria will govern for all regardless of age, background or circumstances.
"Unlike the current administration we recognise the needs and challenges of both our rural and urban communities and are strongly committed to governing for all.
"Over the next four years one of our key priorities is to ensure that Cumbria has a voice at a national level and that we stand up for our residents. We will negotiate the best possible deals with central government something which has been significantly lacking in recent times.
"We need an administration that is prepared to set politics aside and work hard to ensure this county gets the extra investment it needs.
"We will support our local economy to grow, and lobby for improvements to our roads and infrastructure.
"Our manifesto outlines the other positive steps we’ll take to provide a broad range of support. We propose to support our future generation to develop the skills they need; help the most vulnerable to age with dignity and choice whilst supporting both our rural and urban communities to access the services they need.
"Times are challenging for the council and we are aware of the significant pressures that are faced, yet we also believe there are clear opportunities to grow and prosper.
"The people of Cumbria have a voice and the opportunity to make a change. We have a clear and credible plan to take Cumbria forward, get on with the job and deliver the best results for Cumbria.
"We ask that you put your trust and confidence in us and help make our county great once again."
"The Liberal Democrats have worked hard over the last four years to give a voice to communities across Cumbria and to fight to protect the services they rely on in the face of massive government cuts.
"Proud of our record of action, we are committed to standing up for you over the next four years as our county continues to face the challenges ahead.
"Our county council has already faced a massive cut in government funding, and this is set to continue. In 2012/13 the council’s core grant from government was £148m – by 2020, it will be slashed to zero.
"Yet despite the challenges that the Conservatives’ cuts have imposed on our council, we will do all we can to protect vital services.
"We will push for integrated health and social care, so that the vulnerable and elderly are looked after and treated with dignity. We will develop a ‘Carer’s Academy’ to increase the number of care workers in our county, and deliver a programme to tackle loneliness among older people.
"We will support local schools as they strive to maintain high quality schooling for all Cumbrian children at a time of massive cuts. We will promote economic development across Cumbria to ensure there are well-paid, high-quality jobs across our county.
To achieve this, we will push for the council to lead from the front and work alongside its partners, from district councils through to service providers, to get the best outcomes and best value for money.
"If elected, the Liberal Democrats will look to involve local communities in the decisions that affect them, and to promote openness and transparency at every level.
Cumbria will face may challenges in the years ahead, both those we know and those that are unforeseen. Whatever happens, Liberal Democrats will work with you to tackle those challenges, give local residents a voice, and support our communities."
"We need UK Independence Party (Ukip) county councillors because they do not have a party whip and are therefore completely free to represent the views of their constituents.
"Ukip is the only party to put people first.
"Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem councillors are often coerced to vote according to their party line and often against the wishes of residents.
"This happened in the case of the north Carlisle incinerator near Asda and Lowry Hill. Hundreds of local people signed a petition against the huge incinerator, worried about the health risks and a hundred HGVs per day on our roads, but the planning permission was still voted through.
"Ukip would hold referenda on such large developments as the local people should have the final say.
"We are standing in eleven seats in Carlisle and Eden.
"Four of our candidates are enthusiastic new members all keen to make a difference in their local communities. They have experience setting up and running charities, helping people in need and working in healthcare.
"Ukip has an excellent local manifesto. We pledge to:
*Keep council tax as low as possible whilst protecting essential services.
*Stop developers building on known flood plains.
*Develop proper flood defences and resilience plans.
*Cut numbers of councillors and highly paid council executives not frontline staff and services.
*Reinstate essential bus and train services where they have been lost, especially in rural areas.
*Give real decision making to local communities.
*Give residents the power to override planning authorities on unwanted planning approvals.
*Protect green spaces - we oppose excessive housing developments, windfarms and HS2.
*Stop over development of our countryside.
*Provide affordable housing for local people and veterans
*Provide funding for local services, not the EU, foreign aid and foreign wars."
"The Green Party promises to do all it can to make Cumbria a better place to live and work whilst safeguarding its precious environment.
"Our schools are facing a crisis of underfunding; the NHS, social care and children’s services are suffering a similar fate; we believe this is not right and will oppose and attempt to reverse the cuts being made.
"We believe that the people of Cumbria deserve better. We will aim to audit the council to get better value for your money and to reduce its carbon footprint.
"We will look to work with other parties and groups, not just for elections but also as a matter of principle – we think councils work better in partnership with community and voluntary organisations and to their mutual benefit.
"We will also encourage more social enterprise – we’ve seen the positive effects of this in local transport and we want to see more done to prevent the isolation of people living in remote locations.
"We want to reduce Cumbria’s contribution to climate change and at the same time ensure Cumbrians are protected from its worst effects; we will work to prevent the life-changing and catastrophic damage caused by flooding and other extreme weather.
"Green councillors will press for more effective waste reduction measures and make sure every resident gets the same recycling services; safer streets and improved public transport; and we will support local products and businesses.
"Cumbria needs affordable housing, but it must be appropriate to existing towns, villages and services.
"New homes need to be built to better environmental and energy efficiency standards, using existing buildings and previously developed sites first in order to protect as much green space as we can.
"'Politics as usual' is not good enough and we promise to look at old problems in new ways."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here