Cllr Wendy Thompson is the Leader of the Conservative Group on Wolverhampton City Council.
For the first time in 20 years, Wolverhampton faces all-out elections. For us in Wolverhampton, this is the first time in a generation that Conservatives have been handed the opportunity to shatter the monopoly that the Labour council have held for almost 50 years.
Generally, the city elects by thirds. However, this year all 60 seats are up for election. As it stands, Wolverhampton has 16 Conservative councillors up against 44 Labour councillors. There is a strong Labour presence, but we boast two hard-working Conservative MPs in Stuart Anderson and Jane Stevenson who have brought in over £1 billion to our city; showing the residents of Wolverhampton how Conservative leadership can make a difference in their lives, alongside our many hard-working councillors.
Unfortunately, only so much can be done when key decisions for the city are left to this Labour council. Criticisms that we have raised time and time again are ignored. On the odd occasions when the Labour councillors do take notice, an air of ignorance fills the room, followed by the phrase “why are you trashing our city”.
The Labour council have seriously obstructed the flow of shoppers into the city centre. This has been done by constant road works for the last two years that have plagued our high streets. Empty shops and derelict buildings have become the norm. Our once iconic Beatties building, the main department store, has been left to decay. Businesses are being sacrificed on the altar of pedestrianisation and high parking charges.
Wolverhampton has historically had high unemployment, but even more disastrous is the high youth unemployment within our city, which ranks amongst the top 10 in the country. Our children and young people have had their futures snatched away before they’ve even started.
Health prospects for Wulfrunians are no better. During 2020, Wolverhampton had the highest number of alcohol-related deaths in the UK, with a rate of 29.3 per 1,000. Wolverhampton’s hospital admissions rate for alcohol-specific conditions was 621 per 100,000, eclipsing the national figures. The ONS recorded that, despite a nationwide decrease in cigarette consumption, in Wolverhampton, 13.6 per cent of people over 18 were smokers—an increase from the previous year of 11.6 per cent.
Labour increased rents on social housing by seven per cent and increased Council Tax to the maximum amount they could without holding public consultations. This Labour council operates as caring with a veneer of false promises.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. As Conservative councillors in Wolverhampton, we take our role in opposition seriously. Our fully costed and balanced alternative budget presented in March shows where our priorities lie and how we listen to our residents.
We proposed reducing the Council Tax rise by one per cent to help ease the burden on residents whilst protecting the adult social care precept. Begrudgingly, Labour councillors shot this down. Come April, for B and D properties in Wolverhampton, the average household will pay over £2,000 in Council Tax. Wolverhampton residents will pay increasingly more for the same services, including deteriorating roads.
We want to offer free car parking in the city centre on weekends to entice shoppers. When speaking to residents on the doorstep, one of the biggest complaints is that there’s nowhere to park. Why go to Wolverhampton city centre when other shopping precincts offer more choices and good parking? We want to revitalise our city centre, and free parking would be the foundation for where we start.
Crime is a big issue in Wolverhampton, and to remedy this, we want to bring back neighbourhood wardens. In 2015/2016, the Labour council decided we didn’t need neighbourhood wardens and got rid of them. Community safety and cohesion has never been a priority for Labour. Consequently, from 2017 onwards, the rate of crime in Wolverhampton has been rising consistently higher than the national average. While the reasons for this trend may be complex and multifaceted, it is clear that action needs to be taken to address this issue and ensure the safety and security of Wolverhampton residents. We are committed to reversing this trend.
Wolverhampton has only 11 per cent Green Belt land, amongst the lowest in the country. Protecting the Green Belt in Wolverhampton is an important issue that has been a concern for residents. For years we have campaigned to protect our precious green spaces, and for years Labour has pushed back. Without the Conservative Group fighting for our Green Belt, it would all have been bulldozed to the distress of many of our residents.
Ahead of us, we have a considerable challenge. While the Labour council may turn a blind eye to the problems of our people, we will not. We are offering better alternatives at cheaper costs to taxpayers. All too often, the council loses sight of the bigger picture. Our residents have repeatedly raised concerns over the number of hotels utilised by the Home Office in the city, which has increased pressure on vital services, and we get no answers. Reasonable concerns can get glossed over and put on the back burner.
For too long, the good faith of those in Wolverhampton has been taken for granted. This May, we will be ready. We will be working to take control and reverse the decades of devastation the Labour council has subjected our city to. We have listened to our communities. With the support of our two MPs, residents, activists, and supporters across Wolverhampton, we want to deliver more positive and effective leadership that this city desperately needs.