We must tackle the issues that really matter to people
IT’S been an eventful month in politics. At the start of May, we had the local elections, which saw millions of people across the country cast their vote for their local councillors.
Councils changed hands in dramatic results, seats were decided on razor thin margins and journalists scrambled to make sense of what the results could mean for the next general election.
As the dust begins to settle following the elections, it’s worth checking in to see where things currently stand here in Stockport.
As I write this column, the overall picture remains undecided.
The Council remains under No Overall Control, meaning no party currently commands a majority in the Town Hall.
That means a deal will have to be struck, as it has been since 2011, between two or more parties who agree to support one another in the Chamber.
The decision on which party manages the council as a Minority administration will be decided at a full council meeting on May 25.
Among the political to-ing and fro-ing however, local Councillors remain dedicated to representing the people who have placed their trust in them.
Over the last decade, we’ve seen enormous improvements across Stockport. Most notably, under the last Labour-led administration, we saw the creation of more than 1,500 affordable homes across the borough and re-generation investment totalling £1 billion.
This hard work has really paid off, with new life being breathed into the borough.
As if to evidence everything that has been achieved across Stockport, the area was recently selected as one of the ‘Best Places to Live in the UK’ by the Sunday Times in their 2023 list.
I was really pleased, then, to hear the new Labour Group leader Councillor David Meller commit to doing everything he can to continue this work in the Town Hall. It’s right that, whoever ends up in control of the council, Stockport continues to benefit from progressive policies like affordable housing, investment in neighbourhood hubs and support during the cost-of-living crisis.
It is only by tackling the issues that really matter to local people that we can continue making Stockport a great place to live.
We all deserve access to good, high-quality housing and fantastic community facilities, it’s only right that councillors recognise this as a priority.
It is an enormous privilege to provide a voice for local people, whether it be in the town hall or in Parliament.
That’s why, wherever the control of the council eventually falls, I look forward to working with local representatives in delivering for the people of Stockport.