COVENTRIANS will be heading to the polls on Thursday, May 2, for the city council elections.
Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm and those voting will also be asked to choose their preferred candidate for West Midlands Mayor and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.
A third of the city council’s seats will be up for grabs – 18 our of 54.
Currently, Coventry City Council is made up of 38 Labour, 14 Conservatives and two Greens.
The parties standing in next week’s election have been outlining the issues they think most affect the people of Coventry and the policies they have been campaigning on.
Labour
Coventry Labour Party said the main issues it would be focusing on would be the cost-of-living crisis, NHS crisis and crime.
They say residents were being impacted by several factors, including rising mortgage and rental costs and thge continued rise of prices in shops.
Coun Jim O’Boyle celebrates. Picture by Marcus Mingins 0322007MMR2 copyright Bullivant Media
The party wants to fix city’s NHS waiting times as it says people were constantly struggling to get an appointment.
Coun Jim O’Boyle said: “It is clear to everyone that the police have been moved to other priorities with officers unable to attend burglaries or anti-social behaviour which has been having a direct effect on residents quality of life.
“Locally, Labour will continue to invest in our city and tackle climate change.
“Nationally and regionally, we will recruit more police and secure 1.5million more hospital appointments and save our NHS.”
Conservatives
Coventry’s Conservatives say they are focused on making the city greener with greater transparency and have pledged to deliver sound financial management, better services and create jobs and economic growth.
Of the 18 seats up for grabs, six are held by Conservatives, including leader Gary Ridley.
He claimed the leading Labour group had ‘brought the city to the brink of bankruptcy’, adding ‘skyrocketing council tax had been squandered on risky investments’, such as Coombe Abbey Hotel. The Conservatives added, with a view to reducing the authority’s debt, they would review council-run assets considered ‘not commercially viable’.
Other plans include an AI task force to look at how services could be made more efficient, improving highways and green measures.
A dedicated Cabinet Member for Climate Change would be established within the first 100 days, a ‘brownfield first’ approach to house-building would be taken and the party would look to make Coventry a ‘bee-friendly city’ by rewilding and planting more blossom trees in the city centre.
Green
Coventry Green Party is pushing for ‘Fairer, Greener Communities’ in the city and has 15 candidates standing for seats.
The party supports a Green New Deal, which calls for new green homes, new green transport and new green jobs to set the city on track for a ‘net zero’ by 2030.
Coventry Green Party is also calling for the city council to move all of its own offices, vehicles and services onto renewable energy services.
Divest investment into fossil fuel companies while investing in green alternative energy sources – while funding small business to make the switch easily.
Richard Baker, one candidate said: “I joined the Green Party out of concern at the state of the world my children are growing up in.
“I would like to see public services for children given a higher priority eg. youth groups, clubs and libraries.
“I would also like the Council to improve street cleaning, removing fly-tipped rubbish more quickly.”
Liberal Democrats
Coventry Lib Dems have launched this year’s local election and manifesto guaranteeing a ‘Fair Deal for Coventry’.
The party said it would fix the ‘broken business rates system’ – they say by taxing land, they will ensure fairness and stimulate economic growth.
The Lib Dems also want to offer tax relief to local businesses to foster entrepreneurship and innovation.
And they want to revitalise the high street by introducing a turn-over based rent and give residents give more say in the planning system.
In the manifesto the party added: “Accountability must come to Coventry politics both for our representatives in Westminster and right here on Coventry City Council.”
Coventry Citizens Party
The Coventry Citizens Party said the three issues they felt most affected Coventry residents included the cost-of-living crisis, the lack of affordable/social housing and increased fly-tipping in the city.
Cameron Baxter, leader of the party, said people were struggling financially due to the failures of the Conservative government.
He added that Coventry Citizens Party was still the only party committed to creating a new housing company to build more social housing in the city.
The party is also calling for a crackdown on fly-tipping by increasing warden patrol and engaging with residents.
“A Coventry Citizens Party councillor will speak up for local residents and listen to their concerns.
“We’re committed to tackling local issues and making Coventry a better place to live.”
The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC)
The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) says its main issues are the planned budget cuts in Coventry, campaigning for restored funding for the city, and opposition to the war on Gaza.
TUSC leaflets complain about plans in 2024 to switch off streetlights, reduce council tax benefits, raise fees in council care homes and for school transport, reduce access to adult education, and end grants to local charities, such as the rape crisis centre.
Dave Nellist, the former Coventry Labour MP who is standing in St Michaels, said: “TUSC councillors would vote against these cuts and against higher council tax.
“We would use our position to work with local trade unions and community campaigns to fight for the restoration of decent levels of government funding to councils.”
With 280 candidates across the country, TUSC is the sixth-largest party in the local elections. It is contesting 16 of Coventry’s seats.
