Our council has boosted the economy and won over Labour voters. It’s a model that could work across the UK
- Matthew Brown is Labour leader of Preston city council
Preston city council was the only Labour-led authority in Lancashire to retain all its seats in the recent local elections. Despite the losses the party experienced across the UK, Preston’s success shows what can happen when a Labour council puts forward a transformative political vision. It was a similar story in other areas where the party offered a politics that spoke directly to working people, such as Manchester, Merseyside and Salford. Throughout Britain, communities want change – and Labour must be clear about how it can deliver this.
Preston’s success lies in a strategy the council has been pursuing for nearly a decade known as community wealth-building. In the past, the council relied on global developers and the promise of major retail investment to deliver economic opportunities. In 2011, when a major shopping centre development that would have brought £700m investment to the area failed to materialise, we decided to take matters into our own hands and pursue a model that would bring resilience to our local economy, ensure wealth remained within the area and give people a say over their economic destines.
