DRIVING forward the regeneration of Newport, improving education and battling anti-social behaviour are among the pledges made by the city’s Labour group ahead of May’s local government election.

The group launched their election manifesto yesterday, Wednesday, containing a series of seven pledges around issues such as teaching, community safety, the environment, transport and employment.

Labour has been in control of the city council since May 2012, when it won back power from a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.

Speaking at the launch event at Horton’s Coffee House in Millennium Walk, leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox said: “This administration has been a hard-working and committed group of people doing their level best for the people of Newport in the face of huge cuts imposed from Westminster as part of the Tories’ austerity programme.

“This is no cosy club.

“This is an administration that puts the people of Newport first, always.”

Cllr Wilcox, who represents the Gaer ward, added there would be “no complacency” in the party’s campaigning over the next six weeks.

“We will fight for every vote in every ward across the city,” she said.

“And we will do so with this message that we are together for Newport and that we will build on success to build a better Newport.”

On the group’s prospects for the election on May 4, Cllr Wilcox, who replaced Cllr Bob Bright as council leader last May, said: “I’m feeling increasingly confident.

“Door knocking has begun in earnest and the message coming back from across the city is optimistic.”

She added: “What I am delighted about is the people of Newport can clearly see the difference between local and national politics.

“We are Welsh Labour and the leader of Welsh Labour is Carwyn Jones.”

Cabinet minister for finance and resources Cllr Mark Whitcutt, who is also re-running for his Gaer seat in May, also spoke at the launch, where he claimed a controlling Conservative group would result in swingeing cuts across the city.

“We know from the UK Government that what the Tories do, in fact all they do, is to slash public services,” he said.

“Newport public services would not be safe in the Tories hands.

“The choice is between a Labour council trying to protect public services, doing its best to manage a difficult budget in times of Tory austerity, and a Tory-led council slashing our public services in order to do the bidding of their political masters in London.”

Caerleon ward member and cabinet member for education and young people Cllr Gail Giles was also at yesterday’s launch, and said she believed the work carried out under Labour’s leadership, such as the opening of Friars Walk, spoke for itself.

“Everyone has had to pull together,” she said.

“But it’s a fantastic time.”

“I can honestly say we’ve done the absolute best we can do in the city.”