Under the slogan ‘Wales CAN do better’, Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, launched the campaign for the 2012 local government elections in Cardiff yesterday.

I am extremely proud of our record in local councils all across Wales. When you vote for a Welsh Liberal Democrat councillor on May 3rd, you will be voting for a councillor who will work hard for you and your community and a councillor that will go that extra mile.

When people in a local authority put their trust in Welsh Liberal Democrat councillors, what you get is prosperity and jobs like what we’ve seen in Cardiff, better educational attainment as we’ve seen in Wrexham and real investment in public transport as we’ve seen in Swansea. In many other local councils across Wales, Welsh Liberal Democrats have been providing good quality services to half the population of Wales, with huge success.

Liberal Democrats currently form part of the administration in thirteen Welsh local authorities, including Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham.

The manifesto ‘Better schools, Better services, Better Value’, calls for, amongst other things, a power of general competence for Welsh local government, similar to that already introduced in England, encouraging local councils to support economic growth by allowing them to keep some of the additional business rates raised, a Community Bill of Rights to allow local people to protect their local heritage and an Empty Homes Strategy to bring old homes back into use.

It also highlights the success of Liberal Democrats in Wales at keeping council tax levels low, in making communities safer by investing in road safety measures and in enhancing local leisure facilities.

Alongside her, Rodney Berman called upon Cardiff voters to “judge him upon his achievements” in eight years of leading Cardiff Council, pledging to bring more jobs to the city and to keep future council tax bills low. As reported in the Western Mail;

We’re not just about making promises to try to win votes, we’re about actual delivery. With us you can judge us on what we have done – not on what we say.

“The fact is we have kept council tax rises lower than Labour and Conservative-run councils (in Wales) over the last eight years.

Liberal Democrats are defending thirty-four out of the seventy-five seats on the council.

* Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary published in print or online.