Some things that need to be put in place immediately if we are to realise our vision for 2020 are:

A well-educated skilled workforce is central to the achievement of our vision. We know that it can take ten years for improvements in the education system to start producing results - so we need to start now, making the most of the opportunity afforded by schools re-organisation. The quality of education in the inner city is particularly crucial in the light of the need to reverse polarisation and reduce inequality.



A clean, healthy and attractive environment is also central to the vision. To achieve this we must create pride in the environment, and the first step to bring this about must be a blitz on litter and rubbish. We will adopt a three-fold approach to this - improved street cleaning, educating people not to dump rubbish, and a crackdown on those who do.



Similarly, we need to tackle the problem of crime in the inner city. In the long run, increasing affluence in the inner city will help keep crime down, but unless we tackle crime now, economic regeneration will be stifled. Key priorities will be:

• Zero-tolerance of racial violence and racial intimidation.
• Tackling burglary and other crimes that deter people from living in the city.
• A crackdown on so-called "petty-crimes" such as vandalism.

Drug addiction - particularly heroin addiction - is causing serious health and social problems, and is responsible for much of the District's crime. This needs to be tackled through an integrated programme of treatment, education and enforcement.



We need a long-term strategy for transport to support the development of the District's economy. Priorities will include improving communications eastwards between Bradford and Leeds and within the Aire Valley, reducing through traffic in the city centre, and improving city-centre parking for shoppers and residents.



Making the most of the opportunities created by our ethnically diverse population.



Every individual, agency and business in the District will need to play a part in enabling this vision by developing a positive "can-do" attitude to developments that support it.