According to Liberal Democrat leader Gavin James, there are seven key points to the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto.

Currently on the borough council, they have seven councillors: two in Eastrop, two in Grove, two in Baughurst and Tadley North and one in Brighton Hill North.

They also hold one of the ten Hampshire County Council divisions that fall in Basingstoke and Deane.

Homes

People are living longer, driving the need for more houses. Those who grow up here should be able to bring up their family here too. We’ve learnt to appreciate delivery drivers, care workers, cleaners and our marvellous NHS.

They need homes they can afford to buy or rent, with low running costs. Solar electricity, thermal solar hot water systems and grey water recycling can cut utility bills, reducing fuel poverty for many.

Rural Communities

We’ve beautiful towns and villages in our borough, which we recognise are more sensitive to housing growth. Some growth is inevitable to sustain shops and schools, but housing should meet the needs of the existing community.

This means more social housing where the Council can control allocation. We can prevent over development by creating green breaks. Woodland and meadows will improve biodiversity and act as green lungs, soaking up carbon.

Ice Rink

In 2012, the Tories promised a new leisure park. Nothing happened and our Ice Rink faces an uncertain future. We’d make it a key part of a Council controlled Leisure Park renewal.

Big roofs provide big opportunities for solar energy. Heat from the lido could prevent permafrost, which has damaged the existing ice facility. Generating energy on site will cut CO2 and provide revenue to cut the cost of renewing the park.

The Anvil

Basingstoke is fortunate to have the Anvil and Haymarket but the Tories have ripped up their funding deal at 90 days’ notice. We’d reverse this and work with the venues to plan a long-term support package for the future.

Football Club

Despite the town’s expansion, the football club finds itself without a long-term home. If financially viable, we’ll support its return to the Camrose. We’re ambitious for sport in our borough and a venue that could host league football is our longer-term goal.

Retail

High streets are suffering, with services and shops increasingly online. They will bounce back but look different. We’ll ensure they’re attractive places to shop, supporting and promoting small business start-ups.

Funding

The government keeps cutting Council funding. Local Tories have cut services to close the funding gap but are running out of options. Our Tory MPs have failed, or refused, to persuade the government to provide support.

We’d invest in green energy, using commercial property roofs for solar energy generation. Solar farms in the countryside would generate more money than our financial investments.

Gavin James, Liberal Democrat leader