So why vote for us?
Parties put forward their cases
POLITICAL parties have released their statements outlining their position for the upcoming local election.
Voters across the Rossendale borough will vote in 12 new councillors; exactly one third of all councillors in the district on Thursday, May 4. Labour is the currently party of control.
●●THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY’S STATEMENT:
We are so lucky to call Rossendale home.
Our Valley’s heritage and beauty make it unlike anywhere else.
Each and everyone of our Rossendale Conservative candidates is standing because they love their community.
But they are also standing because they know that Rossendale’s residents deserve so much better than they get from their council.
Here in Rossendale, Labour have hiked your council tax by 18% since 2011.
Yet they tell us the Council is set to run out of money in just two years.
That means the services that we all rely on - the collection of our bins, the maintenance of our parks, the regeneration of our towns and more - could not continue.
Labour in Rossendale blame the government but the reality is that they’ve been in charge of the council here for 12 years.
In that time, they’ve wasted more than £10million on hare-brained schemes like the Empty Homes Scandal - and landed us with the third highest council tax in Lancashire.
Rossendale Conservatives say enough is enough.
We know what it takes to get a grip on Rossendale Council to make sure we get value for money. To back the local businesses we know and love and get our economy growing.
And to make sure that your priorities are the priorities of Rossendale Council.
We’ve delivered £18m of Levelling Up funding to boost economic growth.
We’re delivering new schools for Haslingden, Rawtenstall and Whitworth.
And we have committed to ensure that Rossendale’s next generation can stay active - by building new leisure centres in Haslingden and in Whitworth.
Rossendale Labour are out of ideas - they aren’t even fielding a candidate in every ward.
On doorsteps across Rossendale, Conservatives are hearing the same message again and again: we need change.
The only way to make that change - and to vote for a team to truly represent all of our Valley - is to vote Conservative on May 4.
●●THE LABOUR AND CO-OPERATIVE PARTY’S STATEMENT:
These local elections come at a time when people are really beginning to realise and feel the cost of 13 years of Tory Government.
We see every day, in our Councillors’ surgeries and out in our communities, how much people are struggling after years of Tory mismanagement.
We have a Government that has lost control, of our economy, of our borders and that has even driven key workers to take strike action over the state of our vital public services.
We see Tory run Lancashire County Council putting up Council Tax by significantly more than your Rossendale Council Tax.
Most (84%) of your Council Tax goes to Lancashire.
They are responsible for our roads.
Our potholed roads are the most complained about issue in Rossendale - we clearly are not getting very much in return from the Tory run County Council.
We’ve seen chaos with the Tories with three Prime Ministers in the space of a few months, and Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng crashing our economy, leaving working people to pay the price.
Labour are committed to building a Better Britain and that starts here in areas like Rossendale.
Your Labour Council have worked hard to improve lives here in Rossendale and to provide support for those who are struggling, even against the background of huge cuts to our funding from central Government.
We’ve secured funding to improve our town centres and markets in Haslingden, Bacup and Rawtenstall.
Working with the local community, we’ve helped secure a new running track at Marl Pits.
We’ve supported all our amazing volunteer groups who do so much work in the Valley.
We’ve implemented a Climate Change Strategy to encourage local businesses to be more environmentally friendly and for the Council to lead by example.
We’re proud that Rawtenstall was recently named one of the best places to live by the Sunday Times - testament to the hard work and dedication of our council, businesses and volunteers.
A vote for Labour in these local elections will allow us to continue improving lives for everyone who calls Rossendale home, and will send a clear message to this clapped out Tory Government.
●●THE GREEN PARTY’S STATEMENT:
The Green Party is committed to a fairer and greener community. If this is what you want for yourselves and your children, then Green is the vote for you on May 4.
The Green Party has pledged to push for rent controls to limit increases and has a plan to build 100,000 council homes each year to a high environmental standard, including insulation and energy efficiency to reduce the cost of bills.
The Party also seeks wider changes to planning
laws so that all housing (public or private) meets efficiency standards and that new housing developments are only built with matching investment in local infrastructure such as schools and GP surgeries and with sustainable transport infrastructure.
The local Green Party is committed to resisting inappropriate development in our green areas and will help and support local communities in standing up for their rights and with protecting and improving their environments.
We will also be out there in the community working with you on all local
issues including road safety, litter and our green spaces.
Greens are winning across the country and now have approaching 600 councillors nationwide.
We are also winning here in Rossendale.
So, if you want yearround hard work from your councillors, and if you want to make your voice heard on the local council, then vote Green on May 4.
●●COMMUNITY FIRST’S STATEMENT:
Unlike any independent candidates, our two Community First Candidates, Dayne Powell for the Healey and Whitworth Ward, and Michael Whitworth for the Facit and Shawforth Ward, are both registered with the Electoral Commission, unlike any other political parties candidates.
They are the only candidates who’s aims and objectives are to serve our whole communities in Facit and Shawforth Healey and Whitworth by supporting our local groups, organisations and local residents.