WHEN I took leadership of the Labour Group two years ago, we started a campaign to listen to you and to take your thoughts and ideas into consideration.
You told us you did not want the library demolished and moved to the town Hall.
You said no to plaza vanity project and no to the Conservatives’ overpriced development of the Town Hall.
You told us you did not want the cemetery at Ipsley Meadows.
You asked for a council that listens and works for our communities.
Together the Redditch Labour Party put together our manifesto encompassing all these ideas.
Time and again we were told this could not be done, the Tories told us the library move was a done deal and we could do nothing to stop it.
They said we could not support our most vulnerable residents as these projects were too expensive.
The Labour Group, under my leadership, did not accept this. We refused to sit back and let it happen, we never gave up and we went out to win the council.
We give great thanks for your support, and for placing your trust in us.
With the new executive in place, we have put your plans into action.
We pushed back on the ‘no’ culture and worked to support council officers to implement these plans.
After four months of being in control we have:
- Halted the demolishing of the library and the library will be kept where it is.
- Stopped the development of the cemetery at Ipsley Meadows and are now looking at alternative sites.
- Put plans in place to bring back the outdoor market.
- Reduced Dial a Ride to £2.50 per journey – 50 per cent saving for vulnerable residents.
- Revamped and saved Shopmobility from a downgrade.
- Given the go ahead for the new Town Hall development, putting your ideas into a robust and positive plan. We are bringing face-to-face working back to the Town Hall and it will be able to be used for businesses and communities.
- Breathed new life into the Town Deal board, looking at options to use the town’s fund money to make Redditch a great place to visit, work and thrive.
- Re-branded the council’s logo and ethos with a new strapline ‘Working together for our communities’.
This is just the start.
I am proud of what we have achieved in just four months. We are still listening and working to fulfill ours and your manifesto.
I will continue to keep you all updated, as communication is vital to a positive working relationship between residents and council.
Coun Joe Baker
Redditch Borough Council Leader
