The leader of Basingstoke's Labour party has declared it is "time for change" as he launches his party's campaign for May's council elections.

Cllr Andy McCormick is preparing to lead his party into elections for the first time, after becoming leader in December 2019.

The Brighton Hill South councillor has acknowledged that taking overall control of the council will be "nigh-on impossible", but says the "tide is in our favour".

"We have had some game changing events. I got the impression that people are looking to rebuild and for a positive vision.

"We will give them that positive vision."

The Basingstoke Labour party has published its manifesto for the 2021 elections, covering everything from the local economy to homes and sport to health.

'100 per cent' commitment to sport

Among the promises is the party giving their "100 per cent support" to Basingstoke Town FC to return to the Camrose and for saving the ice rink.

Cllr McCormick criticised the council's handling of the Camrose saga, saying: "We own 29 per cent of the land the football club is built on and we have seen some widely varied estimates of the value of the land.

The seats that Labour will be defending in May.

The seats that Labour will be defending in May.

"The administration was going to at one point give it away. We have got to think out of the box with Basron, but they are not going to get what they want at the moment with the Camrose ground."

He said that if elected he would work to ensure that Basron can "walk away", potentially with a development somewhere else in the borough.

"When we got this move back to Winklebury and the immediate pressure was off, the vision was developed over the year. If there was an alternative ground we will be different to the previous council who immediately closed off conversation."

On the ice rink, he said that the council has been "through two years of achieving nothing".

"That suggests that our current administration don't seem to want to progress it."

Cllr McCormick said he was committed to ensuring the ice rink remains in the town, saying "the vast majority of Basingstoke" would agree it should.

Pledge to keep NHS 'public'

Labour's manifesto says that the NHS is "badly broken" and pledges greater scrutiny and accountability of local health services and surgery mergers.

It comes after the party hit out at the "takeover" of the Camrose, Gillies and Hackwood partnership by an American-owned company.

"I want to keep our NHS public," Cllr McCormick said. "It is very concerning that companies like Operose can come in and they have just taken over a lot of London surgeries.

"They have been doing this all along trying to keep us quiet. In the case of CGH, I sympathise completely with the situation they find themselves in.

"This is indicative of the problems we have within the NHS and we need to get the government to legislate."

The manifesto adds that NHS staff deserve a "decent pay rise", and opposes charges for hospital staff parking.

'Fighting on three fronts'

The Labour leader said that he will be fighting the election on three fronts - against the Conservatives, independents and Liberal Democrats.

Nine councillors left the party in 2019, setting up the Basingstoke and Deane Independents, and although Cllr Carolyn Wooldridge has since moved back, Cllr McCormick says one of his priorities is to "take back what is rightfully ours".

He has also identified a fight with the Conservatives to gain seats such as Kempshott, whilst defending a Tory push in Winklebury.

Additionally, Cllr McCormick is expecting a tough fight with the Liberal Democrats over seats such as Brighton Hill and Grove.

These elections are particularly unique - all councillors will be elected at the same time, whilst the number of councillors is being reduced from 60 to 54.

Cllr McCormick acknowledged that "everything is up in the air this time".

Other pledges

Elsewhere in the manifesto, Labour pledge to push for a new secondary school to be built in Manydown and give cycle provision to the main roads around the town.

It also proposes to further discussions for Oakley station to be reopened, as well as building new ones in Chineham, Worting and Basing.

A second tip would be opened near junction 7 of the M3, whilst charges for new bins will be abolished.

Cllr McCormick concluded by saying: "It is time for change. The current council administration has run its course and we need a bold new vision going forward.

"Things are not going to be the same, we need to completely rebuild unlike how it was in the past."