The state of Glasgow's People's Palace is a perfect example of the failures of the SNP in power over the last five years, Glasgow's conservative leader has claimed.
Launching his party's local manifesto in front of the historic building, which has been at the centre of a row over the state of the City's public buildings, local group leader Thomas Kerr stressed that while cleaning up the city’s streets was “at the heart” of their agenda, preserving all Glasgow Life buildings was also a priority.
The Shettleston candidate confirmed that his party would put in place a long-term strategy to preserve every Glasgow Life building if his party was elected next month and that the People’s Palace - which re-opened in February after months of closure - was a “real asset to the city”.
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Mr Kerr said: “This building has been closed for so many years and the Winter Gardens has been ripped apart. I thought it was symbolic to be here with councillor Robert Connelly who has campaigned to try and make sure it is reopened.
“One of the key policies in our manifesto is to re-open, reinstate and have a maintenance plan to make sure the People’s Palace has a long-term future. We would be working with the UK Government to ensure more money through the levelling up fund.”
The Conservative Group has reconfirmed its position to re-open all Glasgow Life facilities as soon as possible and to create a long term preservation plan for them.
The manifesto also pledges to focus firmly on people’s local priorities including reversing the three-weekly bin collections, scrapping the bulk uplift charge, investing in a “Clean Up” Glasgow apprenticeship programme, demanding an immediate deep clean of the city and setting up an environmental enforcement team to crack down on those who fly-tip in the city.
The Tories are also committed to delivering a full year of business rates relief in 2022-23, investing in a City Centre economic masterplan, easing planning rules to allow good housing to be developed and giving schools more powers over decisions they make.
Group Leader Thomas Kerr added: “I am proud to be presenting this manifesto. Over the last five years the Glasgow Conservatives have shown that we have the fresh ideas to revitalise and clean up our city.
“The city’s first ever SNP administration has failed the city and far too many areas are blighted by litter, fly-tipping or overflowing bins.
“Our fully costed, five-point plan to clean up Glasgow can change that and ensure residents' needs are met when it comes to bin collections and the state of their local area.
“As we recover from the pandemic, we must engage with businesses and listen to their concerns and act on them. That’s where our focus will be rather than being dismissive as the SNP all too often are.”
Hoping to represent the East Centre ward is Faten Hameed who says it is her mission to stand up for the voiceless in the city.
Ms Hameed who was widowed at an early age and left to raise three young children by herself wants to help people like her and have been through what she has been through.
She explained: “For many years I have been helping feed the homeless but to see people still hungry and homeless in 2022, that is where we need people like me to support these people and give them the life they deserve.
“I think the campaign has been going amazingly well. People are kind and listen to what we stand for. I am a community woman so when I speak to people, I speak from the heart as this is what I have been doing for the last three decades.
“People are very nice and very kind. We have canvassed a lot in my ward and the reception has been amazing.”
Depute Leader for the Conservative group and councillor for the Linn Ward Euan Blockley said he was pleased with how the campaign was going so far.
He added: “The manifesto we’ve launched today is about cleaning up the city but it is also an extension of that, it is about planning health and education.
“We feel Glaswegians will look at this document, see our priorities which will help us to elect a strong team of Glasgow Conservatives in the May elections.”
