Leicester is on the up

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 11th Jul 2004

Parmjit Gill has been showing Charles Kennedy the investment that the Liberal Democrat led Council has been making in local services.

Just twelve months ago the people of Leicester kicked out the Labour Council after years of neglect.

Under successive Labour leaders, including Sir Peter Soulsby, local people had suffered debt, closures and spiralling Council Tax levels.

Under Labour, Council Tax in Leicester rose by an astonishing 77% in just six years — that is more than £400.

This year Liberal Democrat councillors voted to keep the increase down to just 8%, despite Labour leaving a £10 million hole in the council’s budget.

Liberal Democrat councillors are investing:

• £3.0 million more for crime prevention.

• £4.5 million more for local schools.

• £2.0 million more for social care and health

• £1.3 million more for parks and environment.

• More investment in repairs to our community centres after years of Labour neglect.

• A new £700,000 fund for local community groups.