Cllr Carolyn Curr is the Leader of the Conservative Group on Redcar and Cleveland Council
It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it…
I used to have a nice life before I found myself leader of the opposition on Redcar and Cleveland Council. It’s a Labour administration, as it has been for 50 years with very little interruption, and it shows. The current incumbents are propped up by the Lib Dems in return for committee appointments.
My whole group was newly elected in 2023; they love Boris round here. We were 12, gained an Independent (previously a Conservative) lost a by-election to Reform (previously a Conservative who lost his seat in 2023) lost one to Restore, though soon gained him back (does a little dance).
We are a young team, apart from our nearly 80-year-old, the most energetic of us all, we all work full time or run our own business. This has meant accommodating each other as much as we can and inevitably means some of us take on more than our share of serving on committees, etc. Without exception, all our meetings were held during the day until we brought a successful motion moving some to the evenings. This has not proved popular and, ironically, has not improved attendance. They are slowly reverting to daytime meetings, a lost opportunity for potential future, younger councillors.
Many of you will know how frustrating it can be in opposition; it’s not for the faint-hearted. We make as much noise as we can on the scrutiny committees, in the Council chamber, in the press and in our local communities, and although we’ve had some successes, it’s hard to affect meaningful change.
We have had to work hard from a standing start to form, over the years, in my humble view, an effective opposition. We have been fearless, we brought a motion to our very first council meeting to retain free parking in the town centre, although in our naivety, we had no idea how we would pay for it. We were annihilated though it didn’t matter one bit, from then on in, we’ve always been known for our campaign to keep free parking (the administration capitulated eventually, a very early success for us).
We have, as a matter of principle, objected every year to council tax rises, arguing against a typical tax-and-spend Labour administration that the Council should learn to live within its means, much like our residents have too. However, I am feeling that if we are to continue to operate with integrity, a given, then this argument is becoming less and less reasonable. The cost of children in our care is bankrupting our council like it is many others. We needed Exceptional Financial Support to balance this year’s budget, all £18.4m of it, and with overspends already forecast this year, another bailout is likely; its associated 20 years + interest repayments adding to our already unrealistic revenue budget.
It seems our residents can only look forward to year-on-year increases, a strong message for our local elections, May 27.
Reform is on the march in the north east and although nationally, it has lost some of its mojo of late, I’m not sure this will translate to very much round here. A by-election last year in Nunthorpe, the posh end of the posh end of the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (MSEC) constituency, returned the first Reform councillor, defeating the incumbent Lib Dem. Reform is highly likely to see off some of the old Labour strongholds though this brings little comfort.
MSEC was Simon Clarke’s seat until the last election. The same for Jacob Young in Redcar. Losing our two MPs and all the associated office support was a massive blow from which we are still recovering.
Most of my group wishes to stand for re-election next year which is great news; we have one retiree and one wishing to spend time with a new baby. I would be hopeful in getting most of us re-elected, we’ve all worked hard in our wards and many votes will be for the person if not the party. In the heady days of Reform we had a few waverers, though we appear to have outsailed that particular storm, at least for now (does another little dance).
Gaining new councillors feels a lot more uncertain. With strong candidates our prospects would naturally be much more favourable. However, as you well know, attracting such people can be very difficult when we have what many still perceive and believe to be a damaged brand. It has proved tricky both in the Council chamber and on the doorstep to outrun the dogma of 14 years of austerity…
Our association party membership is at its lowest ever, diminishing its source as somewhere likely to yield candidates, and particularly the numbers we need. The current leadership of the party is certainly making an impact, though the north east can feel a long way from the south east, in every sense. To what degree we’ll benefit from Kemi’s performance at PMQs remains to be seen.
I’m sure I’ve cheered you all up although I am smiling as I am typing this. There’s a lot to do and there’s a lot at stake. Excuse me while I go and knock on some doors.