Delivering in local government: How Labour is building a better Britain everywhere

Labour councils up and down the country are helping to improve the lives of their residents.

Week in, week out, Labour councils, working in partnership with the NHS, Homes England and the Labour Government, are getting things done for their local communities on the things that matter to local people.

Every week, ‘LabourList’ brings you a selection of the great work being done by Labour councils and Labour mayors. 

This week we feature:

• Historic Swansea bridge restoration
• New bus station opens in Heckmondwike
• Go-ahead for Studio One plans at Sunderland
• Improving energy efficiency and temporary accommodation in Brighton & Hove
• Extra 1.4m for road repairs in Salford 
• £4 million package of Leicester city centre improvements
• 326 new social rent homes in Ilford

Please send news from your council to Paul Dimoldenberg at [email protected].

Swansea: Historic Swansea bridge restoration

Labour Swansea Council has appointed South Wales-based contractor Ian Davies Plant to complete the next – and final – phase of the Morfa Bascule Bridge restoration, with construction expected to begin soon. Built in 1909 and designated as a Scheduled Monument, the Bascule Bridge is a significant part of Swansea’s historic landscape. Previous phases have seen the steel bascule span removed from the river and conserved, alongside essential stabilisation works on the timbers that stand in the river.

The final phase will complete the restoration of the structure, including repairs to timber trestles, the replacement of some bridge elements, and the lifting of the historic bascule span back into place using a specialist crane operation. Once complete, the bridge will be brought back into use as a public footpath and cycle track, helping to improve access and connectivity along the river corridor.

West Yorkshire: New bus station opens in Heckmondwike 

Heckmondwike Bus Station, the first in West Yorkshire’s Weaver Network, has opened as part of efforts to make journeys easier across Kirklees and beyond. The modern facility includes indoor seating, new bus stands, a ‘Changing Places’ toilet, detailed bus information, cycle parking and improvements outside the building.

Improvements to two other Weaver Network bus stations are also underway in Kirklees. Work has started on a major refurbishment at Huddersfield Bus Station and Dewsbury Bus Station due to reopen later this year. West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said: “With new electric buses on the way, new and improved bus stations and buses coming under public control, we’re creating a better-connected West Yorkshire that works for all.”

Sunderland: Go-ahead for Studio One plans in Sunderland

Plans to create world-class film and television production facilities in Sunderland have taken a step forward after the first phase of Crown Works Studios secured planning approval. The development will feature three sound stages, production accommodation, backlot space and parking, alongside the refurbishment of the historic WH Foster Printworks building. Studio One represents the first phase of the 31-hectare Crown Works site, which is being developed as a catalyst for further employment-led investment across Riverside Sunderland.

More than £38 million is being invested in the scheme by Labour’s North East mayor Kim McGuinness, with overall public-sector investment in land assembly, remediation and Studio One set to reach just over £60 million. The scheme sits within the Crown Works Growth Zone and the wider Riverside Sunderland Creative Mayoral Development Zone, which stretches from Northern Spire bridge to the coast.

Become a friend of LabourList and join our community. Our friends support our vital non-factional work and get access to exclusive content and events.

Brighton & Hove: Improving energy efficiency and boosting the supply of temporary accommodation

Labour’s Brighton & Hove Council has launched a new scheme to increase its supply of temporary accommodation while improving the energy efficiency of private rented sector homes across the borough. The Energy Performance Grant Scheme for Landlords offers grants of up to £7,500 to eligible landlords who commit to completing work on their property to bring it up to a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of C and enter into a three-year lease with the council for temporary accommodation.

Grant funding will be released as soon as the lease is signed. If the lease is ended before the end of the three-year term, the grant money will be repayable to the council. Landlords will be eligible to receive funding through the Energy Performance Grant Scheme for Landlords with up to three properties.  

Salford: Extra £1.4 million for road repairs in Salford 

Labour Salford City Council has secured an extra £1.4 million in Government funding to repair almost 300 more roads across the city. The new funds have been provided by the Department for Transport’s Local Highway Maintenance Fund. This will complement the £4.3 million budgeted through the Highways Investment Programme and the £855,000 Pothole Action Fund money approved in February.

Roads will be repaired in priority order. Roads that show more signs of ageing and damage will be fixed so the problems do not become more severe. As part of the £1.4 million, the council has agreed that £20,000 will be available per ward across Salford so local councillors can nominate potential schemes. This is a completely new scheme that gives the opportunity for smaller local concerns within communities to be prioritised for repair work. Any nominated sites will be subject to the same engineering, condition and value-for-money assessments as other locations within the programme.

Leicester: £4 million package of city centre improvements

Leicester city centre is set to benefit from a £4 million package of improvements designed to make it more welcoming for residents, businesses and visitors. The plans include better lighting and signage at key arrival points, measures to tackle antisocial behaviour, improvements to public spaces, support for vacant shops, investment in events infrastructure and upgrades in the Market Place and Lanes area.

Residents and visitors can expect cleaner streets, better-lit public spaces, improved areas around transport hubs and car parks, and more support for events and activities. The investment is also intended to boost confidence and pride in the city centre. Labour Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “We have made significant investment into the city centre in recent years, and this funding will allow us to do even more to make it an attractive and welcoming destination.”

Redbridge: 326 new social rent homes in Ilford

Labour Redbridge Council has welcomed the start of work on a major new social housing development in Ilford Town Centre at the site of the former Harrison Gibson department store that will deliver 326 homes for social rent for local residents, following the release of the first tranche of grant funding from the Labour Mayor of London, which has enabled demolition and construction work to begin.

MP Living is working in partnership with the Mayor and the London Borough of Redbridge to deliver the scheme and will retain ownership and management of the completed homes. Redbridge Council will hold nomination rights, helping ensure the homes meet local housing need. Councillor Kam Rai, Leader of Redbridge Council, said: “Ilford is a thriving and growing town centre, and this development will strengthen that momentum, bringing new homes, renewed confidence, and a major boost to the area’s ongoing regeneration.”

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on TikTok, Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook. You can also write to our editor to share your thoughts on our stories and share your own. The best letters are published every Sunday.

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • BECOME A FRIEND: If you enjoyed this, why not consider becoming a Friend of LabourList? Help sustain our journalism, and of course Friends do get benefits…
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].