One part of Wirral could tell the tale of a massive shake-up in the council.
On May 5, voters go to the polls to elect a third of Wirral’s councillors. Labour is the largest party and has leadership of the council, but does not have a majority. In May, the Greens are hoping to tear through some of the party’s heartlands.
The Greens may gain seats in Birkenhead and Tranmere, Prenton and Bebington. But if it were to gain its first Wallasey seat, the party would send shockwaves through the Labour ranks.
READ MORE: Local elections 2022: All the candidates you can vote for in Wirral
Seacombe has been a rock solid Labour seat for years, but here the Greens are hoping to push Labour hard. The ECHO visited the ward to see if anything may change after years of Labour dominance.
The vast majority of people spoken to said they would not vote, in a worrying sign for democracy in the area. Their reasons were many, they felt let down and ignored by politicians and had given up any hope the council may be able to help them.
Those who were planning on voting will give the Greens cause for excitement. David Mullineux, 51, who was lived in Seacombe all his life said he planned to vote Green as they cared about the place and wanted to do good things for Seacombe.
Hear more about Wirral's local election battlegrounds in The Northern Agenda podcast
Mr Mullineux said they were helping to clean up the area and the entries and that he liked the Green candidate. Kevin, 73, who did not want to give his surname and also lives in Seacombe, said he will probably vote for the Greens.
He said politicians were self-serving and not interested in the working man. He felt the Greens might offer something different. Kevin also mentioned the record of the last Labour government and said he would not vote for the party as Gordon Brown sold much of the country’s gold reserves and the party left the country with more debt than it had ever previously had.
Labour may protest and say the debt was caused by the financial crisis and that events many years ago should not be deciding elections in Wirral today, but for some people the events of the 2000s are still key in their political thinking.
As for the issues of today, Kevin was concerned about immigration, saying he felt the country was overcrowded, and believed politicians including the Conservative government were out of touch and uninterested in helping ordinary people deal with problems such as the rising gas prices we are seeing at the moment.
Another voter, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he has always voted Labour and will continue to do so. Overall, the worrying picture on the ground in Seacombe was one of apathy and a lack of interest in local politics.
Over the next few weeks, the four candidates vying to become new councillors in the area must try to change that and generate some enthusiasm for their agenda. Here is what each candidate had to say.
John Hoey (Labour)
Mr Hoey said: “Labour Seacombe councillor Paul Stuart proposed in this year’s budget that money saved by reducing the heating temperature in council buildings by two degrees could be used to help support vulnerable residents to meet the demands of rising energy prices.”
“The £113,000 savings are ringfenced to support vulnerable residents to meet the demands of rising energy prices. I’ve been out meeting people on the doorstep and it’s things like this which can make a real difference in times of such need.
“The Greens and Lib Dems voted against setting a legal budget which included this financial support for helping the most vulnerable with the cost of their fuel bills. A project to clear overgrown alleyways and fly-tipping is making a huge difference.
"I’ve been working with councillors and residents to apply for grants from the Wirral Together Fund for planters and plants for residents to brighten up their alleyways. New alley gates have been installed in several locations in Seacombe to improve community safety and reduce anti-social behaviour. It’s brilliant to see residents coming together creating their own community space to enjoy.”
“The Labour-led administration has secured a £37m funding package from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. This has already helped here in Seacombe, with road resurfacing on Breck Road, Dock Road and Brighton Street, with Borough Road and Mainwaring later this year.
“Residents will have also seen footpath improvements on Elmbank Street, Winford Street, Parry Street and Dock Road. This is something I am keen to build on, to ensure that we have safer roads and pavements.”
Rae Voller (Green Party)
Ms Voller said: “I’m campaigning on a year-round track record of hard work for the residents of Seacombe. It’s clear from many conversations on the doorstep that people here feel left behind and that nobody is listening to them.
“That is changing as more and more residents warm to the Greens strong track record of continuous engagement on the issues that matter here – a cleaner, more attractive environment, safer streets and a widespread concern that Seacombe is a forgotten ward in the Town Hall. Seacombe has been a safe Labour seat for as long as anyone can remember.
“But, the widespread view is that it hasn't done the area any favours. People have seen the impact Greens have had in Birkenhead wards and how the party has stood up for local services.
“They have seen their library close down and the doors closed on the local One Stop Shop, more and more of them are switching to Green. For the first time in decades Seacombe is a two-horse and not a one-horse race.”
Bobby Cartwright (Conservative)
Ms Cartwright said: "I welcome the challenge of contesting Seacombe not least because I believe it is a privilege to be elected as a councillor. I am proud of my record of service in Preston and, if elected, I will work just as hard for the residents of Seacombe and Poulton."
"The government has committed unprecedented amounts of money to regenerate and transform Seacombe, Birkenhead, and the surrounding areas but it needs a fully committed local Conservative councillor to make sure this community benefits most from the investment. I welcome the opportunity to achieve that.”
Ms Cartwright said her priorities are making sure investment at Wirral Waters benefits the wider Seacombe and Poulton community, improving housing conditions and tackling the growth in Houses in Multiple Occupation, as well as tackling issues such as litter, dog fouling, fly tipping and graffiti.
Anthony Morris (Liberal Democrat)
Mr Morris said: “People are anxious about the cost of living, rising energy prices and making ends meet. Local people will be paying more Council Tax, face higher charges for many services, and see some facilities closed.
“The recent budget was proposed by Labour, backed and aided by the Conservatives who voted down our legal moves to change it. Lib Dems are determined to turn Wirral around. The redevelopment of brownfield sites and neglected areas will, eventually, pay dividends.
“In the meantime Wirral is between a rock and a hard place until the government funds councils fairly. National events will also be to the fore in people’s minds. Everyone’s campaigning is in the context of the horrors we are seeing in Ukraine.
“The government of Boris Johnson is still smarting from the way some officials and politicians broke the rules during the lockdowns, with one rule for us and another for them on covid lockdown. Partygate may have been overshadowed by events but the hurt has not gone away.
“I expect the Conservatives to pay a heavy price at the ballot box for their dismissive attitude towards normal people.”
