Wiltshire’s Conservative party has released its manifesto entitled “Our plan to deliver for Wiltshire” ahead of the local elections in May.

The party, which has held a majority on Wiltshire Council, says it has an excellent track record of delivering for residents.

In its manifesto, the party promises fully-costed, deliverable plans to meet the challenges the next four years will bring.

Philip Whitehead, the leader of Wiltshire Council laid out the plan: “Maintaining prudence and sound financial management, whilst supporting the most vulnerable in our communities, meeting the needs of a growing population with affordable housing, improving our roads and maintaining all our libraries and leisure centres.

“Supporting our businesses and high streets as we recover from Covid with an extra £4m to transform them into places where people come to enjoy themselves through culture and entertainment as well as shopping and eating out.”

There is also an environmental outlook to the plan, with the Conservative group looking to reduce residents’ carbon footprint while also protecting the countryside.

It is promising to ensure that Wiltshire Council is carbon neutral by 2030, and to crackdown on fly-tipping, adding that greater resources will go into prosecuting those found to be illegally dumping their rubbish.

Looking toward the future needs of the county, the manifesto says that a Conservative Wiltshire Council will build over 1,000 new council houses over the next decade, as well as investing in transport infrastructure.

On housing, the manifesto says: “We have started a new council house building programme delivering over 170 properties to date, focusing on ensuring affordable housing in our villages.

“We have also set up a Council owned housing company, Stone Circle, to provide affordable housing to specific groups that we cannot support through council housing but where we know there are problems that need addressing.”

These homes, the document pledges, will all be zero carbon and let at a 50 per cent market rent.

Keeping Wiltshire moving is one goal of the party which would mean better connecting areas in Wiltshire with added bus routes, improving footpaths, maintaining the county’s road network, continuing to push for new train stations in Devizes, Wilton and Corsham, and delivering a “sensible and deliverable” plan to build infrastructure for electric vehicles.

Turning to social care, the Conservatives pledge to improve the current network of Older People’s Champions to help address social isolation. They also say that they will work with care providers and residents to ensure vulnerable residents have up-to-date facilities.

There is also a focus on providing mental health support, particularly after the impact of Covid.

The Conservatives are fielding candidates for all 98 electoral wards in Wiltshire.