Chorley Council local elections 2022: Here's why the different parties say you should vote for them

The people of Chorley head to the polls for this year’s local elections on 5th May, when a third of Chorley Council’s 42 seats will be up for grabs - one in each of the 14 wards in the district.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

However, postal votes have already been sent to those who requested them and can be returned anytime ahead of the day itself.

So to help inform you whenever you may be putting your cross in the box, the Lancashire Post and Chorley Guardian asked the parties vying for your vote in some or all of the available seats to set out their top six policy pledges - and briefly explain why you should back them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We will also, once again, be staging a debate with the leaders of the main groups which will be available on our website - lep.co.uk - later this week.

The parties contesting some or all of the seats up for grabs at the Chorley Council elections on 5th May, as represented by  (clockwise from top left): Labour group and current council leader Alistair Bradley; deputy Conservative group leader Debra Platt; Jenny Hurley, standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition; John Wright from the Chorley Liberal Democrats; and co-ordinator of the Green Party in Chorley, Andy Hunter RossallThe parties contesting some or all of the seats up for grabs at the Chorley Council elections on 5th May, as represented by  (clockwise from top left): Labour group and current council leader Alistair Bradley; deputy Conservative group leader Debra Platt; Jenny Hurley, standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition; John Wright from the Chorley Liberal Democrats; and co-ordinator of the Green Party in Chorley, Andy Hunter Rossall
The parties contesting some or all of the seats up for grabs at the Chorley Council elections on 5th May, as represented by (clockwise from top left): Labour group and current council leader Alistair Bradley; deputy Conservative group leader Debra Platt; Jenny Hurley, standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition; John Wright from the Chorley Liberal Democrats; and co-ordinator of the Green Party in Chorley, Andy Hunter Rossall

But, in the meantime, if you want to make your decision before then - or even just start thinking about it - here are the parties’ pledges on a page.

LABOUR PARTY (contesting all seats)

***Invest £500,000 per annum in making Chorley carbon neutral by 2030 and

planting 116,000 trees – one for every resident of the borough.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

***Support rural bus networks and ensure connections to local villages.

***Provide additional employment land in order to provide quality local jobs.

***Provide quality health care and supported living accommodation, such as the

new £16m facility at Tatton.

***Defend our green spaces by fighting the government’s policy on housing

growth.

***Invest £125,000 per year in delivering youth services.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Labour group and current Chorley Council leader Alistair Bradley said: “The Labour administration has made significant improvements to our borough -whether it’s the delivery of our youth zone, new health centres at Whittle and Tatton, investment in play and recreation facilities, or attracting national retailers and a cinema operator to our town. We will continue to build on this success in areas such as environmental improvements, job creation and a successful events programme, whilst at the same time having one of the lowest council tax rates in Lancashire.”

CONSERVATIVE PARTY (contesting all seats)

***Take control of local planning for more sustainable development.

***Freeze on council tax for at least a year to help with the cost of living.

***Provide access to Youth Zone facilities for young people in rural areas.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

***Provide free parking for electric vehicles in the town centre.

***Fund drop-in hubs for older people in rural areas.

***With the assistance of the Police & Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden, tackle crime.

Deputy Conservative opposition group leader Debra Platt said: “The Conservatives proposed a plan this year for an even better Chorley. The Labour administration has run debt up to £80 million present and this is set to rise further in 2022. To be able to deliver on a more stable administration, Conservative councillors need to take more seats from Labour to gain control - and voting Conservative at this and future elections will achieve this.”

GREEN PARTY (contesting all wards)

****Push for a large-scale home insulation programme to tackle the cost of living and climate crises and push for the highest possible energy efficiency standards for new builds.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

****Oppose development of our green spaces - and push for any new builds to be built within a short walk of existing services.

***Oppose any closure, privatisation or reduction in service in the NHS and push for increased funding for mental health care.

***Push for investment in high-quality walking and cycling routes to tackle air quality and reduce traffic.

***Champion services for older people, investing in activities, support and services through community hubs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

***Work to improve public transport across the borough to ensure town centre facilities are accessible to all.

Chorley Green Party co-ordinator Andy Hunter-Rossall said: “It’s not right that in one of the richest countries in the world so many people are left with a choice between heating and eating. The government and our local council need to be doing more to help people dealing with rising costs. The Green Party believes that plans to insulate homes are a vital response to the spiralling cost of energy. The Green-led Lewes District Council is leading on plans to retrofit 40,000 council homes and cut energy bills, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS (contesting the wards of Croston, Mawdesley & Euxton South and Ecclesston, Heskin and Charnock Richard)

***Improve local public services, especially in our neglected villages and rural areas.

***Take local action to address the climate emergency.

***Protect our green belt from inappropriate development.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

***Demand more action on roads and traffic - from filling potholes to dealing with the problem of speeding traffic.

***Campaign for more action to address anti-social behaviour - from better policing to more youth services.

***Stop the building of the proposed new super-prison at Ulnes Walton.

John Wright, of Chorley Liberal Democrats, said: The local elections on 5th May are the most important for a long time. They are not only a chance to elect a strong Liberal Democrat community champion in your area, but also an opportunity to send Boris Johnson a message on lies and lawbreaking, the cost of living crisis, and the underfunding of public services.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

TRADE UNIONIST AND SOCIALIST COALITION (contesting the ward of Chorley South East and Heath Charnock)

***Work to stop all service losses under the New Hospital Programme and ensure any new build isn’t smaller, sees services sent further afield and reduces current bed numbers.

***Stop all NHS model changes to an Accountable Care Organisation model, the privatised US system - and reverse these changes already made such as the integrated wellbeing services in Chorley.

***Reduce forced “affordable” housing builds by implementing social housing builds, ensuring both brown land builds and appropriate housing for all people in Chorley.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

***Push for publicly-owned affordable public transport to increase accessibility and protect the environment.

***Look to bring local services back in house that will transfer the profits of private companies to be ploughed back into the care and pay of Chorley Council workers. .

***Fight against all cuts to services and against privatisation that sees money taken away from Chorley and sent for corporate profit.

TUSC representative Jenny Hurley said: “Nationally, TUSC stands against all cuts and privatisation and pledges to stop the price increase forced by private profit by doing so. In a time where the country is being slammed with price increase after price increase and the most vulnerable are having to choose between heating or eating, it’s even more important to have these safety nets in place. I pledge to bring these values to local issues and ensure Chorley people don’t suffer due to cuts to feed private profit.”

CURRENT CHORLEY COUNCIL CONTROL

Labour - 29; Conservatives - 13