Hywel Lloyd, Co-Founder

As Labour approaches the sharper end of the Parliamentary cycle, with a general election thankfully in sight, we are seeing the firming up of ambitions, pledges, and plans.  It is great to see in the news today Labour’s commitment to fight to win all three ‘disgraceful’ by-elections – no Lib Dems anywhere near second anywhere. 

Later this week our very own Cllr John Haywood, a Labour Councillor on both New Forest District Council and Ringwood Town Council, will start telling the story of how he and his team won in the New Forest, highlighting how with hard work and a good ear for resident’s concerns Labour can win anywhere.  You can catch up with him, and our future plans for the CPTNetwork at the Coop Party Local Government Conference in Manchester this Saturday.

When Labour does listen to communities of coast and country we hear from people that feel done too, left out or left behind and too little valued in the wider discourse of the country, and its future.  Yet we also hear communities that are crying out for support and investment that will help their community thrive as well as the next.  Which is why Rachel Reeves’s recent update on the decade of green prosperity investment is important.

As we look to invest in the future, and prepare the country to meet the challenges to come our first thoughts should be to how and where the benefits will land.  Rachel Reeves has been very clear about growth, and about security; we think there’s a sweet spot between those ambitions, the need to be climate prepared, and delivering for every community that only Labour can deliver.    

Many of our communities of coast and country need a decent bus service, improved health and school facilities, decent broadband and mobile connectivity, as well as access to renewable energy to under-pin their modern lives, and their economic contribution to the country. So with that in mind, surely Labour’s commitments to Green Prosperity could and should:

• Revive bus services with electric or hydrogen fuelled buses , bringing clean air to our towns and lanes
• Deliver high speed connectivity to towns and villages, allowing them decent access to the online world, digital markets, while supporting smart local energy project
• Build and renew our public service estate so that every patient, every child can enjoy a comfortable environment in which to get well, or to learn – not too hot in summer, not cold (or expensive to run) in winter
• Upgrade and expand our FE and adult education provisions (also not too hot/cold) to develop the skilled workforce every county will need
• And of course, with decent digital connectivity and modern design every building (or home) can be energy efficient and energy productive, capable of supporting the EVs of the staff and patients; and in turn reducing the supply needed to meet demand
• Where a decent part of that supply can and should be locally owned, proving ongoing benefits and incomes to communities that are also helping city residents in their decarbonisation journey

Green Prosperity is future prosperity – we look forward to helping develop plans for delivery that ensure communities of coast and country can contribute and thrive too.