Elections to Gloucestershire County Council will take place on Thursday, May 2. The county's Labour party has published its manifesto ahead of election day. SNJ reporter Chris Warne takes a look at what the party is promising.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Labour Party has pledged to hold a full public inquiry to examine how key decisions were made in relation to the Javelin Park incinerator project.
 

Unveiling its manifesto at the proposed incinerator site near Harefsield the day after GCC's Conservative administration threw out the controversial £500 million scheme, Labour said it supported finding a greener solution to dispose of the county's household waste.
 

In the document made public on Friday, March 20, the party also said it opposed the culling of badgers, would strive to increase recycling rates, and supported the introduction of the living wage for all county council workers, as well as agency and temporary staff.
 

Furthermore, the party vowed to fight further cuts to the county's police force and said it would campaign for all health and education provision to remain in the public sector rather than being outsourced to private companies.
 

"The county council elections are a referendum on the Government's austerity program. A program that is hurting the most vulnerable in communities across Stroud," said former MP and Labour's parliamentary candidate David Drew.
 

"Stroud's Labour candidates are standing on a strong manifesto that will not only minimise the impact on working people, but will also stimulate the local economy."
 

Labour also says it will form a business development task force to boost the economy and create 2,000 jobs in two years.
 

An overhaul of highways maintenance to tackle potholes, more 20mph speed limits, a new travel card for under-18s, and the removal of restrictions on older and disabled persons' travel passes, are also being promised by the party.
 

Labour said it would work with voluntary organisations and community bodies to help soften the impact of welfare reforms on claimants, and said where it had to make cuts of its own they would be geared towards reducing inequality.