Ant Reid, Labour Councillor and LCC steering group member

Our Labour government is getting many things right for our communities. They don’t get enough recognition for the rebalancing they are undertaking and the work in community energy, flooding, river quality, coastal economy, and especially the new Land Use Framework. This draft motion is an attempt to get us all thinking about what we are, and what we can achieve, as we’re not in nirvana yet and our government could do with some helpful advice and guidance about where to go next. It is currently 228 words, including title, allowing you and your CLPs to add a 19-word local element to the ‘notes’ or ‘believes’ sections…. Please send us a copy of your versions to info@labourcoastandcountry.org

Delivering Fair Growth in Rural and Coastal Communities

This Constituency Labour Party notes:

1. These communities often face severe structural challenges, including seasonal underemployment, substandard public transport, demographic pressures, and a lack of affordable housing driven by disproportionate numbers of holiday lets.
2. The government’s commitment to extending place-based interventions through the “Pride in Place” programme, recognizing that national renewal requires social infrastructure to be built from the grassroots up.
3. That these places are on the frontline of climate risks and the green transition, holding massive potential for community-owned renewable energy.

This Constituency Labour Party believes:

1. That national renewal must actively revitalise peripheral, rural, and coastal economies, rather than have economic growth amassed by major urban centres.
2. That funding formulas fail to account for the higher per-capita costs of delivering essential public services across geographically dispersed populations.

This Constituency Labour Party calls on Conference to urge the Government to:

1. Ensure the Land Use Framework and regional funding explicitly mandate investment for rural and coastal economic diversification.
2. Provide local authorities with enhanced planning powers to manage the density of second homes and short-term lets, protecting the local rental sector.
3. Direct a dedicated portion of Local Power Plan investment toward supporting community-owned energy projects in these areas.
4. Review funding formulas for public transport and healthcare delivery to ensure equitable access for these populations.