Local Elections 2026: Getting back to basics – and delivering for our city

I welcome this opportunity to update you on the work we have been doing since September under a Labour-led administration, and importantly, why the choices we are making are about rebuilding services, restoring trust, and putting residents first.

One of our earliest and most significant actions was to bring waste and recycling services back inhouse. This decision was about fairness, reliability and value for money. By ending external contracts and bringing services under council control, we are ensuring better pay, conditions and job security for the dedicated staff who keep our city clean. In turn, this means a better, more accountable service for residents because a workforce that is respected and properly supported delivers better outcomes for everyone.

You may also have seen coverage of the sale of the former TK Maxx building. It is no secret that the property was originally purchased by the previous Conservative administration for £4 million and later sold at a loss. This was not a result of mismanagement by the current administration, but the reality of a changed property market and falling commercial values. Leaving the building dormant or maintaining it to its previous condition would have placed yet more strain on the public purse. The decision to sell was overseen by a property board, managed through a clear and transparent governance process. I am aware that a public inquiry has been called for, and if that provides reassurance to residents about how the sale was handled, I am not opposed to it.

Transparency matters especially given the financial legacy we inherited from the Conservatives.

After years of Conservative control, our city was left with eyewatering levels of debt, totalling around £500 million, alongside deep cuts to vital services. Since taking office, our Labour-led administration has already reduced that debt by £50 million. This shows that we are taking difficult decisions head-on, stabilising the council’s finances while protecting the services people rely on.

At the same time, we are investing where it matters most. We have expanded and promoted our Family Hubs, helping to lift thousands of families out of poverty and ensuring support reaches people early, without stigma or judgement. We are committing to cleaning up our city and to investing in SEND provision, so families feel supported rather than scrutinised when they ask for help.

We have also committed £1.5 million to revitalise the city centre, including improvements to the market, provision of public toilets, and completion of the new sports quarter after the feedback from the city’s visioning project. These are practical, visible investments that residents can see and use, because regeneration should be about everyday life, not glossy promises.

Finally, I want to address recent claims made by Mayor Paul Bristow regarding mixed changing facilities in the sports quarter. No such decision has been confirmed. I was therefore surprised that these allegations were made publicly, without any discussion with me.

Our Labour administration is about honesty, accountability and delivery. Since September, that is exactly what we have focused on: fixing what was broken, stabilising our finances, supporting families, and rebuilding services so they work better for everyone.