Welsh Labour Leadership candidate, Carwyn Jones, has called on all councillors in his Party, to “fight back together under my Leadership” and restore Labour as the predominant political force in local government in Wales.
Carwyn made his call in a letter to over three hundred Labour councillors across the country, urging them to join him in a comprehensive process of “positive engagement” – not just on how council services should be delivered in the future but also how under his Leadership, the party can fight back and increase its representation on local authorities all over Wales.
In the text of his letter, Carwyn said:
“As a former Councillor myself, I am keen to improve relations between Labour Assembly Members and Labour councillors. As someone standing for the leadership, I want to start that positive engagement now. I am therefore writing to invite you to let me have your views on the future of local government in Wales, and how we might strengthen delivery of council services to the public and also strengthen Labour representation on local authorities.”
As part of this engagement, Labour councillors have been asked to express their views on all aspects of local government, including co-operation with other statutory services such as the NHS.
Carwyn also invited views on:
· how the Cabinet system in local government is working in Wales;
· whether there is sufficient recognition of the role of ward councillors; and
· how to best protect and improve public services at a time of financial stringency
Commenting on his call for engagement, Carwyn Jones said:
“As a former Bridgend councillor, I know the important role Labour councillors can play in delivering efficient, quality services locally. In order to achieve this, we have to restore ourselves as the predominant party of local government – the party that is on the side of people.
“It is clear that the trend of recent years towards electing independent councillors in Wales, is now beginning to have a negative impact on the quality of services and the efficacy of the decision making process, up and down the country. Under my Leadership, I want to prove to the people of Wales that Welsh Labour – both the Assembly and on the local council – are on their side.
“In Bridgend we did just that. Labour demonstrated that we can not only fight back – but we can fight back and win.”
Carwyn’s positive approach on the future of Welsh Labour in local government, has already begun to resonate with some of the Party’s most senior councillors in Wales.
Offering his backing to Carwyn’s candidacy, Councillor Ali Thomas, Labour Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council said:
“I believe Carwyn is a statesman in waiting. He’s got all the qualities of delivering sensible, beneficial and realistic commitments to the people of Wales. He’s Labour through and through.”
An example of the growing and geographic spread of support Carwyn’s candidacy across Wales, the Leader of Labour Group on Gwynedd County Council, Councillor Brian Jones:
“We understand how important it is to have someone of Carwyn’s calibre with his understanding of the needs of the people of Wales.”
