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:
- Completion of 89 affordable homes at Dovecote House in Manchester
- New Passivhaus homes in Exeter
- Gillingham High Street Civic Square regeneration project starts
- New wellbeing space for young people in Hounslow
- Telford Park School expansion is complete
- North East Mayor launches 1,500-apprenticeship drive
- Torfaen bus stops get a makeover
Please send news from your council to Paul Dimoldenberg at [email protected].
Manchester: Completion of 89 affordable homes at Dovecote House
Great Places has completed 89 affordable homes at Dovecote House as part of the continued regeneration of Manchester’s Piccadilly East neighbourhood. The £29 million development on Pigeon Street brings together social rent and Rent to Buy homes, creating opportunities for people at different stages of their housing journey. The development is funded through Great Places’ Strategic Partnership with Homes England, alongside support from the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester’s Brownfield Housing Fund.
All 31 social rent apartments have been allocated through Manchester Move. Great Places has also worked closely with Manchester City Council’s Housing Access Team to support existing social housing tenants to move into homes that better suit their needs. By helping people right-size, the development is creating opportunities across the wider housing system and freeing up homes for other people and families waiting for affordable housing. Dovecote House also offers 58 Rent to Buy apartments through Plumlife Homes, giving people the opportunity to rent a home at 80 percent of the market rate for a minimum of five years, helping them save towards a deposit and take a step closer to home ownership.
Exeter: New Passivhaus homes in Exeter
Demolition work has begun at the 11-storey Rennes House tower block in Exeter, paving the way for the regeneration of the area and new construction of a new generation of energy-efficient council homes. Rennes House was built in 1968 and contains 61 flats. It has reached the end of its practical lifespan following extensive structural investigations. Rennes House was constructed using Large Panel System methods. Following changes in building safety requirements introduced after the Grenfell tragedy, the cost of bringing the building up to modern standards was deemed financially unviable.
The last residents moved out of Rennes House in November 2024. Many relocated to newly built Passivhaus homes provided by Exeter City Council. The site will be redeveloped with two low-rise apartment blocks that complement the existing Whipton Gardens development. The new scheme will provide around 36 Passivhaus one and two-bedroom flats. The Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund has provided funding support for the project.
Medway: Gillingham High Street Civic Square regeneration project starts
Work is starting in November to deliver a brand-new Civic Square in Gillingham High Street. The regeneration project will see a brand-new Civic Square – a vibrant, colourful new space, nestled at the crossroads between the High Street, Sappers Walk and Green Street.
Improvements include new lighting and projectors, creative art installations including new art murals, seating and planted areas. In addition, the project is delivering new bins throughout the High Street, CCTV cameras, and refurbished toilets. The improvements are being funded by £575,000 from Medway’s Pride in Place Impact Fund secured from the Government. The works are due to be completed in February 2027.
The High Street will remain open throughout the project. Gillingham Market will continue to operate every Monday and Saturday throughout the works. Stallholders that were based in the Civic Square will be relocated to ensure they remain on the High Street with other stallholders.
Hounslow: New wellbeing space for young people
A new wellbeing hub designed to support the mental health of young people across Hounslow has opened its doors at Beavers Community Hub, Cranford. Activities will include sports-based sessions such as table tennis and football challenges, as well as interactive activities, including creating a wellbeing resource plan to identify the people, places and activities that support mental health.
The launch follows extensive engagement and co-production with young people across the borough. Over 100 young people across six secondary schools have contributed directly to the design and delivery of Think Well through group activities. The wellbeing hub will open three times a week, with a themed session on each of the days.
Telford & Wrekin: Telford Park School expansion is complete
The expansion of Telford Park School in Stirchley is now complete. The project, led by Labour Telford & Wrekin Council and built by local contractor Pave Aways, will provide 300 extra places over the next five years and increase the school’s capacity to 900 students. The second and final phase of the project comprises a new two-storey block with eight new classrooms, circulation space, toilets and an office. Solar panels and enhanced insulation are incorporated into the new building to provide a high level of environmental performance.
Phase One of the project provided additional space for 60 Year 7 pupils. By increasing its capacity, Telford Park School aims to continue providing exceptional education and nurturing environments for more children in the community.
North East: Mayor launches 1,500-apprenticeship drive
A new regionwide apprenticeship support service is set to help 1,500 more young people across the North East secure jobs and training opportunities. Led by Labour North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, the apprenticeship brokerage scheme is expected to bring up to £10 million of Government investment into the region over three years, supporting an additional 1500 apprenticeship starts by March 2029. At least 375 of those opportunities will be aimed at young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
The North East has been selected for the second wave of a Department for Work and Pensions pilot programme, with the service due to launch in April 2027. Designed as a one-stop shop for apprenticeship opportunities, the scheme will help young people who miss out on vacancies connect with alternative employers and training routes, rather than having to restart their search. The service will introduce dedicated apprenticeship specialists, sector-specific talent pools and support to help employers recruit young people. It will initially focus on housing, leisure and tourism, and advanced manufacturing, reflecting key areas of regional economic growth and demand for skills.
Torfaen: Bus stops get a makeover
Forty-five bus stops in Torfaen have already been deep cleaned, and another 27 will be cleaned in the next few weeks. There are also plans to use some of the bus stops to promote local landmarks, such as the bus stop near Greenmeadow Community Farm.
A total of 251 bus stops will be cleaned as part of this initiative. The Council is also looking at applications for new glass panels and new bus stops. As well as improving the appearance of the bus stops, Labour Torfaen Council’s Integrated Transport Unit will install display boards with Real Time Passenger Information at some of the bus stops. The display boards will show live arrival times, changes to services, and passenger alerts.