Read: Powering progress: How new leadership at Canterbury City Council will drive pathways to opportunity.

by Nick Forbes CBE

A new Labour/Liberal Democrat Coalition at Canterbury City Council, led by Leader, Alan Baldock will see the Kent local authority working to deliver opportunity into the historic heart of the south east. May’s local elections saw a transformation in local power across the UK, with Labour - for the first time since 2002 - becoming the largest party in local government.

One of Labour’s most notable successes, is without doubt Canterbury, and under new leadership, the Council has the power to drive pathways to opportunity. The Council will be prioritising the pockets of deprivation which are a feature not just of the historic City itself but of the coastal towns of Whitstable and Herne Bay and the surrounding villages and countryside. Whilst Canterbury often has an image of significant affluence, there is significant deprivation - compounded by the Cost of Living Crisis. That contrast of advantage is one that is replicated elsewhere in Kent. It reinforces that true levelling up and social mobility is not confined to strict geographic boundaries.

It has an impact on poverty, employment and housing which in turn impacts issues like health and wellbeing and digital connectivity. They act as barriers to opportunity and result in accumulated – and often generational - disadvantage. The pandemic, with its effects felt so profoundly in the leisure and retail sectors that are vital for the local economy here, exacerbated the situation followed by a cost-of-living crisis which has tested the financial resilience of individuals, families and businesses in the area even further.

The new Council in Canterbury has responded with a firm pledge to listen to their communities, recognise their concerns and understand how they can best be supported. Residents and businesses have been clear what they want to see as priorities – traffic congestion and air quality, high quality affordable housing, improved access to community infrastructure, the protection of its landscapes, open spaces, habitats and heritage and a shift towards net zero.

Its agenda closely reflects the Five Missions for a Better Britain published recently by the Labour Party which sets out a framework for government ahead of next year’s general election: secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 with good jobs and productivity; make Britain a clean energy superpower; build an NHS fit for the future; make Britain’s streets safe; break down the barriers with opportunity at every stage. The newly elected Council can work with the national party to ensure that those goals translate into real and transparent improvements to local services.

That synergy between national and local government is important. Local authorities, with their close links to local businesses and third sector organisations, can inform a national government’s priorities but they are best placed to lean it to residents’ concerns and develop workable solutions in a local context. Councillors from Canterbury, and that of neighbouring Medway which also saw a Labour win in the recent local elections, will be providing plenty of Labour’s parliamentary candidates in the next election. Their experience in local government will make a valuable contribution should Labour form the next national government.

The Purpose Coalition’s work with local authorities like Canterbury and cross-party with Labour Shadow Ministers aims to ensure that there is access to opportunity for everyone, particularly in left-behind communities, and to promote policies that will better support our economy. With Shadow Minister for Business & Industry, Bill Esterson MP, it recently published a report, Entrepreneurial Revolution, in partnership with SME for Labour. It highlighted best practice from leading Coalition members and made a series of recommendations for how a Labour Government could put SMEs – key players in any local economy - at the heart of its agenda, boosting employment and prosperity in those regions.

The Coalition and the Council will continue to work collaboratively with its partners as the voice for fairer opportunity, delivering locally-led solutions that will make a difference.