Political parties pitch for your vote at Warrington Borough Council Local Elections

ALL four main political parties standing in the Warrington Borough Council Local Elections have been given the opportunity to say why people should vote for them next Thursday, May 6th.

With just one week now until election day, each party was tasked by Warrington-Worldwide to say in around 400 words why local residents should vote for them in the Warrington Borough Council local elections – they appear below in alphabetical order.

A vote for the Conservatives is a vote to get things done. A vote for us in the May 2021 Local Elections, means that Warrington as a Borough can only improve and realise its true potential as a fantastic place to live and bring up a family.
Our candidates are all passionate people with vast local knowledge and a desire to actually improve this Borough without taking on a vast debt. We will tackle local issues whether it is fly tipping, fixing pavements and pot holes, improving safety on our roads and getting better local transport. We are a joined-up team as Conservative Councillors will work closely with our Warrington South MP to get the best from the Government for our town and build upon the great work he is doing, such as the £22 million secured for the Warrington Town deal.
We will tackle the 1.6 billion debt that Warrington Borough Council has acquired since 2015. Currently that equals £8,000 of debt for every person in Warrington and puts the Authority into a high-risk category. We will instead lower the debt, freeze Council tax and invest in the Borough instead of risky investments elsewhere in the country.
Our aim is to protect the Green Belt and will scrap the current Local Plan and prevent houses being built needlessly on Green Belt land. We will deliver the right mix of affordable and social homes for families across Warrington.
We will endeavour to make sure that our Borough is open for business by investing where it counts – in Warrington and the surrounding villages. We will use the grants given to Warrington by the Government to do so effectively and efficiently, rather than spend them elsewhere as has happened recently with the £800,000 given to Warrington to help with the Inland Border Facility at Appleton Thorn.
A vote for Conservatives enables you to hold this Borough to account, it will ensure that the right decisions are made in the right way so that your tax payer’s money is spent to enable you to have a better standard of living with services that you deserve.
Cllr Kath Buckley Warrington Conservatives

For the first time in five years the people of Warrington will have the opportunity to vote for who represents them in the Town Hall.
Only the Green Party offer a vision of renewal, hope, and greater wellbeing for everyone. Voting Green is about voting for policies which put people and the environment at the top of the agenda. We aim to #BuildBackBetter.
In Warrington a vote for the Greens is a vote to preserve our green belt and to protect green spaces. We would seek a major revision of the Local Plan to ensure that any new development in our town does not destroy the environment. Greens on the Council would push for permanent protection status for Peel Hall.
We would demand meaningful action to tackle the climate emergency with an emphasis on deeds not words. Greens will be working towards carbon neutrality for Warrington by 2030.
Greens on the Council would seek urgent action to tackle air pollution and we wouldn’t be afraid to propose bold measures to tackle this. We want to see a transport strategy that puts walking and cycling in the spotlight. We want to encourage people to use public transport by making the bus service free to all.
A vote for the Greens is a vote for transparency and accountability at every level of local Government. For too long, people have felt disempowered by the one-party state of Warrington Borough Council. People deserve better and they deserve opposition councillors who will vigorously challenge bad decision making and financial mismanagement. Green Party councillors will be determined to hold this Council to account.
A vote for the Green Party is a vote for equality and human rights. If elected, Greens would push for a massive increase in social housing to help the 5,000 people in our town who are on the waiting list. Housing is a right and not a privilege.
Greens would seek to ensure that Warrington is included as a trial area for Universal Basis Income. This would pull thousands of people out of poverty. Green Party councillors would seek to ensure that our public services are well funded and that our natural environment is restored.
Warrington is a great place to live but things could be better and local democracy is crying out for change. Vote Green on 6 May to elect transformative Green voices to the Town Hall in Warrington.
Lyndsay McAteer Leader Warrington and Halton Green Party

Warrington Labour’s six-point contract with our residents.

· Keeping Warrington the ‘best place to live and work’. It’s not by chance Warrington has been voted the greatest place to live and work in the UK. Warrington Labour has made it this way and intends to keep it too.
· Sound public finances are essential. Council budgets are money earned by hard-working people and businesses – not a penny will be wasted. We will continue investing wisely and spending efficiently,
· Providing high quality public services. During this pandemic Warrington has provided services for everyone, regardless of ability to pay. We thank all the workers and people who have looked after our residents. Warrington Labour will continue to defend all our front-line services against Tory cuts, so that every bin gets emptied, our town is cared for and our children get a great start in life.
· Powering up the community. We pledge to empower our communities to take Warrington forward and make our Borough an even better place to live and work. Warrington Labour will continue to advance our town,
· Protecting the most vulnerable people. The pandemic emphasised the importance of meeting the needs of Warrington’s most vulnerable people. Heartless promises to cut investment income and freeze the Council Tax will decimate the life chances of those who are frail, disabled, disadvantaged or need to be kept safe. Warrington Labour pledges to stand up against this Tory/Independent threat.
· Tackling climate change. We know extreme weather is a global and local threat. The recent flooding across Warrington shows we’re all at risk. Warrington Labour pledges to be a ‘net carbon zero’ council by 2030. All our future activities will be carbon-free. We will invest in energy-efficient eco-homes, use more solar energy, electrify our buses, promote more recycling, encourage more cycling, cut out plastic and protect the green belt.
Politics is about principles and practical actions. Warrington Labour has delivered on its promises over the past decade. The town is in much better shape. Our town centre has been revitalised with new roads, more businesses, more trees, more homes, improved schools, hybrid buses and Time Square giving a great sense of optimism.
Now is not the time to be rowing back. We are determined to go further. Warrington can’t risk swerving off course with the Tories or Liberal Democrats. We are on the right track – let’s keep going. Keep Warrington Labour.
Cllr Russ Bowden, Leader Warrington Labour Group

For a cleaner, greener, safer, fairer and more caring Warrington, please support the Liberal Democrats in the coming local elections.
Those in the town who are represented by Liberal Democrats, know that they work hard for the community all year round, every year, and keep in touch through regular FOCUS newsletters and the local press.
We are the official opposition on Warrington Borough Council currently holding eleven seats, the Conservatives have only one.
Having run the town from 2006 to 2011 we are pleased that the policies we introduced have been continued with a regenerated town centre, better funded affordable housing, and a partial continuation of our green agenda.
We fought tirelessly, and continue to fight, to protect our green belt and our green spaces. Something all parties now support. The real threat to our green belt comes from a developer-friendly Conservative government which will control how many houses we have to build and where.
New development will be forced on the town but we will ensure that it is concentrated in the town centre and on brownfield sites. We won’t allow developers to just build houses. We will insist that there are schools, community facilities, medical centres and shops within walking distance.
We will ensure that new housing is not only sustainable but is affordable and appropriate for people at every stage of their life.
The life of the town was enhanced under our control and we would revitalise our cultural and public art policies.
The town needs a new hospital but it also needs more local health centres and better co-ordination of health and social care.
Warrington’s environment needs attention. In parts of the town the air quality is poor and improving it requires urgent measures to reduce congestion. We will reintroduce the highly effective “look of the Borough” programme to tidy up ‘grot’ spots and work with volunteers to keep areas clean and attractive.
The way the Council is run is not transparent enough or accountable to residents. This happens when one party dominates a town and chooses to minimise the occasions when it faces elections. We will re-establish a programme of public consultation on how money should be spent.
It is time for a change in Warrington. One-party rule does not serve the town well. The Liberal Democrats have a strong record of working with others for the benefit of residents.
We would welcome a more representative Borough Council, where all councillors are involved and can contribute.
Cllr Bob Barr Leader Warrington Liberal Democrats

If none of the above appeals to you, you may have an independent standing in your ward – check out the details below. Don’t forget you will also have the opportunity to vote in local parish and town council elections relevant for your area and for the Cheshire Police Crime Commissioner.

Thirteen Independent candidates standing in Warrington local elections – unlucky for some?