Key Highlights :
North Lincolnshire's local elections are fast approaching, and the leader of the Conservative group, Rob Waltham, has set out why his party deserves your vote. With the current council made up of 28 Conservative councillors, 14 from Labour and one independent, Labour hope for a swing of at least seven seats to bring to an end the Conservative majority.
Rob Waltham has been the council leader since 2017, and is aiming to lead the Conservatives to a fourth term in control of the authority. Should they be successful in winning a majority, the Tories will secure another four years in charge to make it 16 consecutive years controlling the council after gaining it from Labour in 2011.
The leader of the Conservative group has outlined his party's policy pitch to North Lincolnshire's voters. He believes that his party is committed to every community and resident they serve, and are determined to keep general council tax as low as possible. The Conservatives have also promised to protect free car parking, and have issued 13 million free tickets, saving residents £20m.
Rob Waltham has also committed to keeping the Imagination Library fully funded, which gifts new books every month to every child from birth to five. His party will also keep free swimming for children during the school holidays, to keep kids active and give them something fun to do during the summer.
The Conservatives are also investing in North Lincolnshire's older residents, with more funding for social care, the 'Safe and Sound Grant' and additional cost-of-living payments for pensioner households. Rob Waltham has also pledged to invest millions of pounds of Government cash in Scunthorpe to bring gigabit broadband, a new business start up hub, a new science and technology centre for children and families and to enable schools to go green, slashing energy costs with more solar panels.
The Conservative party has also committed to a community grant pot, which has supported children’s play areas, outdoor gyms, village hall improvements, environmental projects and In bloom grants.
Rob Waltham is confident that North Lincolnshire has weathered the storms of the pandemic and global inflation, and his party is committed to making improvements, investing in the things which matter to local residents and making communities stronger. The Conservative party believes that this will result in better results, and will cost less.
Voters in North Lincolnshire will have the chance to decide on May 4, when all seats on North Lincolnshire Council are up for grabs across 19 wards. It is up to the people to decide who they want to lead the council - Labour or the Conservatives.