WHAT WE STAND FOR:

 ORGANISED OPPOSITION
The Independent Alliance has tried to work with Conservative, Liberal Democrats and Progressive  councillors but they will not participate. The Independent Alliance will plug the opposition gap.

 CHALLENGING AND QUESTIONING
For too long councillors have sat on their hands and never questioned what is going on. This includes councillors from all the national parties.

 LISTENING TO THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE
The Independent Alliance will go to the people through public meetings, calling at their homes, distributing newsletters and carrying out surveys.

 USING THOSE VIEWS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER
We’ll ensure those views are heard in the council chamber as we firmly believe that local people should decide local issues not national politicians.

 SUPPORTING GROUPS WHO HAVE A PARTICULAR INTEREST
For example stopping further building on Temple Park, the 'sell off' of the land at Gypsies Green Stadium, opposing building on the green space on the John Clay Estate, opposing inappropriate riverside and seafront developments, opposing the closure of local schools and supporting the opponents of the Fellgate Business Park development.

 OPENING UP THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS
By ensuring less secrecy – most decisions are currently made behind closed doors with the vast majority of you the public and opposition councillors knowing nothing about them.

We will also seek ways of holding councillors and council officials accountable for their actions. We will use the council constitution, standing orders and the Freedom of Information legislation etc to ask questions in public about council policy and how our borough is run.

We will demand honest and open answers free of Labour party spin. 

 KEEPING THE COUNCIL TAX DOWN
For two years running we have proposed an alternative budget, never done for over 32 years!

 REDUCING THE AMOUNT SPENT ON COUNCILLORS
It is disgraceful that the Labour group keeps awarding itself big pay rises whilst cutting back on services, closing schools and making people redundant.

 IMPROVING ACCOUNTABILITY
We will continue to argue that both councillors and officers are held accountable for their actions. We will highlight examples of bad practice, financial mismanagement and incompetence.

 LOCAL POLITICS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE
Not dictated by national political parties – the people who live in the area should be the people who direct what the council does.