LABOUR has pledged to build 1,000 homes over the next five years, if they retain Southampton in the upcoming council elections.

Members have also promised to establish its own house building factory – which will employ local people – invest £400,000 in extra street cleaning, and introduce a Clean Air Zone in the city by 2019.

Joined by Jennie Formby, Labour’s new general secretary, the party launched its manifesto in Tanner’s Brook, the site of its number one targeted seat: Millbrook.

Other pledges by the political group include investing in an improved pothole-repair service, increased roads spending, and bringing forward plans to regenerate sections of the city.

Labour has also promised to build a state-of-the-art watersports centre in Bitterne.

The pledges comes just a few days after Southampton Conservatives nailed their banners to the mast, promising to tackle the city’s growing pollution problems, which includes a consultation to build a train station at St Mary’s Stadium.

Cllr Simon Letts, Labour leader of Southampton City Council, said: “Since taking control of the council in 2012, Labour in Southampton have – despite over a hundred and twenty million pounds of national government cuts – worked tirelessly to bring investment to the city and to keep vital public services running.

“Because we have been successful in growing the city’s economy this year we have been able to reinvest in the services that residents say are most important to them. These include an additional £8 million investment into roads and pavements and more and better street cleaning.

“Our manifesto developed with the help of Labours network of over two thousand members and supporters all of whom live in Southampton provides radical yet practical proposals for protecting and improving local public services.”

He added: “Last June Southampton voters in the general election voted decisively for a Labour government demonstrating that people in Southampton are sick and tired of Government austerity.

“A large part of Labour’s appeal to the electorate was down to its popular, no-nonsense manifesto. Locally we have built on these bold ideas to form a radical local programme of action.

“The next step for the people in Southampton wanting to see change is to ensure re-election of a Labour Council with a bigger majority on May 3.”

To register to vote in the election, visit: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote Locals have until April 17 to register.