Councillor Scott Patient: Working together to unlock potential

Councillor Scott Patient, deputy leader of the council writes: Over the past 14 years Labour-run councils like ours have been held back by a Conservative government who imposed austerity and ignored the struggles of ordinary working people.

We now have a Labour government, West Yorkshire Mayor and two Labour MPs in Calderdale. We will work together to unlock the potential of our great borough so that we can live better, healthier lives.

Well done to Kate Dearden and departing council cabinet member Josh Fenton-Glynn on being elected as MP for Halifax and Calder Valley respectively.

A special thank you to Josh for his service as cabinet member for adult services for the past three years. During the campaign we spoke to countless residents on the doorsteps about our Labour priorities. We are honoured so many of you trusted us with your votes, resulting in solid majorities in both constituencies.

The hard work starts again now. Some readers will be aware that the bulk of your council tax goes towards supporting the most vulnerable adults and children in our borough.

Despite ever-dwindling funding over many years, we have still managed to protect these vital services. We have also had some notable successes. I’m pleased to say in February OFSTED rated our children’s services ‘good’ in all areas, commenting that children and young people supported by the council feel safe and genuinely cared for and have opportunities to thrive, become independent and achieve their ambitions.

In June our adult learning services also received a glowing report, maintaining a ‘good’ rating. Peer reviews of our public health service and park wood crematorium in recent months have also received great feedback.

Our achievements as a council have been hard-won in very difficult circumstances. However, I am heartened that many of the bills in the recent King’s Speech align to our priorities in Calderdale of reducing inequalities, developing thriving towns and places and taking action on climate change.

Of particular relevance is proposed legislation to reform planning law; deliver more homes and strengthen the rights of tenants; better public transport delivered through nationalised railways and bus franchising; greater powers to monitor and hold to account the water companies who dump sewage in our rivers; and investment in clean energy.

I’m delighted to see just under half of the new cabinet represent constituencies in the north of England, and several of them visited Calderdale during the general election campaign.

The former leader of Oldham Council Jim McMahon is also now a minister in the renamed Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. These strong, experienced northern voices at the heart of government will work tirelessly to truly deliver the Tories’ empty promises of levelling up.

It won’t be easy, given the economic mess that has been inherited, but priorities are what drives unlocking our potential. We are now a government of service at all levels, and we are getting to work for you.