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Parties and independents set out their stall ahead of local election

Voters are preparing to head to the polls on Thursday to decide who they want to represent them as councillors.

In Tameside, there are seven parties – fielding a total of 67 candidates – contesting seats in the borough’s 19 wards in the 6 May local elections.

The parties have set out their stall of what they would offer the electorate and what they hope to achieve for residents if they win enough support.

Here’s what they want to say to voters:

Conservative Party

Tameside has been Labour-run for over 40 years and our borough is always at the bottom for health, education and our economy. Things need to change.

  • Protect Our Greenbelt: We will develop a local plan which protects our greenbelt and stops inappropriate development.
  • Cleaner and Safer Neighbourhoods: We will introduce improved CCTV to tackle flytipping and make our neighbourhoods safer.
  • Regenerating our Towns and Empty Buildings: We will utilise brownfield sites to create new jobs and homes.
  • Boosting Wages and Skills: Two thirds of adults in Tameside don’t hold a Level 3 qualification. We will give people a second chance in life by offering free adult education schemes.
  • Two Hours Free Parking: We will offer two hours free car parking across council owned car parks to encourage footfall and help our local shops flourish.
  • Cut the Cost of Councillors: Councillors’ wage bill tops £1.2m, we will cut allowances by 10%.

Candidates: Dan Costello for Ashton Hurst, Matt Allen for Ashton St Michael’s, Karen Howarth-Hamilton for Ashton Waterloo, Danny Mather for Audenshaw, Dawn Cobb for Denton North East, Timothy Cho for Denton South, Thomas Dunne for Denton West, Matt Stevenson for Droyslden East, Harrison Roden for Droyslden West, Kurt McPartland for Dukinfield Stalybridge, Lucille Turner for Dukinfield, Andrea Colbourne for Hyde Godley, Melissa Molloy for Hyde Newton, Ruth Welsh for Hyde Werneth, Lavlu Kader for Longdendale, Andrew Hay for Mossley, David Rose for St. Peters, David Tilbrook for Stalybridge North, Doreen Dickinson for Stalybridge South

Read their individual profiles here

Green Party

Tameside Green Party are Tameside’s third biggest political party. At the last election in 2019, we got our highest ever vote share.

Winning in Ashton Waterloo, we also came a very close second in Dukinfield and beat the Conservatives in a third of all contested seats.

Tameside Council is heavily dominated by Labour. For many, we are the only acceptable, alternative to them, and we are electable.

Greens do not operate a whipping system, so our Councillors provide independent voices, free to think and speak for out for residents and the needs of the local area.

Across the country, Labour and Conservative Councils are developing greenbelt land despite passing climate emergency motions. Green Party policy opposes this. It makes no environmental sense.

On May 6 you can show the two biggest parties that they can’t just take your vote, and their power, for granted.

If you want Green, vote Green.

Candidates: 

Phil Blakeney for Ashton Hurst, Keith Whitehead for Ashton St Michael’s, Lorraine Whitehead for Ashton Waterloo, Timothy Body for Audenshaw, John Bradley for Denton North East, Ben Hart for Denton South, Jean Smee for Denton West, Louise Axon for Droylsden East, Annie Train for Droylsden West, Dawn Anthony for Dukinfield Stalybridge, Julie Wood for Dukinfield, Kenneth Cooper for Hyde Godley, Mike Baker for Hyde Newton, Nicola Harrop for Hyde Werneth, Irene Brierley for Longdendale, Christine Clark for Mossley, Trevor Clarke for St. Peters, Dave Fernley for Stalybridge North, Amanda Hickling for Stalybridge South

Read their individual profiles here

Labour Party 

These elections are a question of values. 

Everyday, there’s a new scandal from the Tories: sleaze, scandal, cash for access and dodgy contracts – all from the highest levels of this Tory Government.  

Furthermore, the Tories have snatched over £200m from Tameside council’s budget, leaving us incredibly vulnerable entering the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite this, Tameside Labour and Labour Mayor Andy Burnham have not given up fighting for you. 

Tameside Labour will:

  • Continue to invest in our towns, to regenerate town centres and create safe, clean streets.
  • Continue to create an environment that attracts industry and jobs to our borough.
  • Support GM Bus Reform to provide a service which works for people — not profit.
  • Continue to support our most vulnerable residents.
  • Campaign for fair funding for our NHS and decent pay for all NHS and Care workers.

Vote for the team that is on your side: use both votes for Labour. 

Candidates: 

Leigh Drennan for Ashton Hurst, Jean Drennan for Ashton St Michael’s, Sangita Patel for Ashton Waterloo, Teresa Smith for Audenshaw, Denise Ward for Denton North East, George Newton for Denton South, George Jones for Denton West, David Mills for Droylsden East, Ged Cooney for Droylsden West, Leanne Feeley for Dukinfield Stalybridge, Naila Sharif for Dukinfield, Joe Kitchen for Hyde Godley, Peter Robinson for Hyde Newton, Hugh Roderick for Hyde Werneth, Jacqueline North for Longdendale, Jack Homer for Mossley, Warren Bray for St. Peters, Jan Jackson for Stalybridge North, Paul Thompson for Stalybridge South

Read their individual profiles here

Liberal Democrats

Lib Dems are known for getting things done for their community. We stand for more decisions taken locally – not dictated from afar.

We stand for protecting green spaces and tackling climate change.

With us, you’ll get a cleaner, greener neighbourhood where recovery comes first and local people are listened to.

We will protect our small local businesses like independent shops and pubs.

A vote for us is a vote for a local champion who will go the extra mile and get things done for Tameside.

Candidates: 

Matthew Holgate for Ashton Hurst, Sally Ashe for Hyde Godley, Peter Ball-Foster for Hyde Newton, Richard O’Brien for Hyde Werneth, Shaun Offerman for Longdendale

Read their individual profiles here

Liberal Party

The Liberal Party are fielding one candidate in Hyde Godley ward, John Edge.

Read his individual profiles here

Reform UK

We at Reform UK Tameside want the best for our communities.

Over the years poor planning policies have destroyed Tameside’s town centres and now they are planning to destroy our greenbelt.

A project to build thousands of houses on greenbelt must be stopped! We believe we should regenerate our town centres into LIVING spaces, creating eco-friendly, affordable accommodation.

With the advent of online shopping, lets embrace the change, utilise empty commercial units for domestic use and encourage a more diverse range of retail outlets for a better town centre shopping experience.

Many brownfield sites have been used to build supermarkets all competing for the same consumers.

Such brownfield areas could have been used for housing or industrial developments, utilising existing land more efficiently and protecting our greenbelt and its biodiversity for future generations.

As we strive to reduce our carbon footprint, this would be an affordable way forward.

Candidates: 

Barbara Kaya for Denton South, Maurice Jackson for Droylsden West, Christopher Tompson for St. Peters

Read their individual profiles here

Stalybridge Town Party

I believe there is a real appetite for change in Stalybridge and I want to try and bring that about. 

With your support and when it is considered safe to do so, I will call for open meetings where we can address our councillors with the issues that concern us.

It simply isn’t acceptable that the executive cabinet at TMBC is making decisions based on what they think is best for us. They should be asking us what we want, not telling us what we’re getting.

Stalybridge was chosen for Andy Burnham’s ‘Town Centre Challenge’ and it started with a real passion, but I believe it has now been taken over by the cabinet and has become stagnant as has the ‘Heritage Action Zone’.

Why hasn’t there been a public consultation for the project?

Don’t vote for more of the same, vote for Stalybridge Town Party, vote for change.

Candidates:

Lee Stafford for Stalybridge North

Read their individual profiles here

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