Mark Davies, Worcester Socialist Party
Worcester Socialist Party joined other members of the public at a Worcester City Council meeting discussing the ‘devolution’ proposals put forward by Keir Starmer’s Labour government.
Worcester City Council, along with other district councils in Worcestershire, disagrees with the County Council’s proposal for just one countywide authority. One countywide authority would only give the council greater chance to keep control and where any devolved powers would be remote to local residents.
Worcestershire County Council is run by the Tories. It unsuccessfully tried to cancel this year’s elections – an opportunity for local residents to use the ballot box to express their response to the council’s continued failings and cuts.
While Labour, Green, Liberal Democrat, and independent councillors in Worcester are opposed to Labour and Tory anti-democratic plans, they made little mention of delivering services that would actually meet the needs of the local population, and no mention of the insecurity now faced by council workers.
Socialist Party members will now take the opportunity of the forthcoming county council election to stand Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates, and energetically put out the message that any changes should be made democratically by people locally, and lead to more funding and representation, not less.
