When it comes to Wigan, you think of pies, rugby league and its coal mining history. Something else that is ever-present is a Labour dominated council. And that could all change come May 4.
The impending all-out local election means that every seat in Wigan Council is up for grabs, and history says that it is Labour’s to lose as they are currently in power with 61 out of 75 seats in the council chamber. They heavily outnumber their opposite parties as the Conservatives were knocked down to just seven council spots after their group leader lost his seat in Orrell in 2022.
Michael Winstanley and his Conservative party will be hunting to regain that seat in the most western part of the borough as well as hoping for gains elsewhere.
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After feeling “bitterly disappointed” to lose by a 34 vote margin to Labour’s Dave Wood last year, Mr Winstanley will be confident he can make his return in order to make Orrell a Tory stronghold again. Similarly, the Tories will hope to keep their ‘safe seats’ in the Lowton East ward and seek to gain another seat in Standish with Langtree ward.
If the blues were to gain that Standish seat from Labour, that would make it three out of three for council seats in the ward.
On the opposite side of the region, Labour’s greatest threat is the emerging Independent Network who currently control Atherton. The purple group of independents are looking to spread their influence to the newly named wards of Atherton South and Lilford and Tyldesley and Mosley Common.
Independent Andy Brown, who ran against the incumbent Labour man Barry Taylor in 2022, lost out by just over 200 votes in what was then known as Astley Mosley Common. Now the ward has changed to include Tyldesley, the Independent Network’s James Fish will be hoping to fill the boots of Andy Brown and grab another seat for team purple.
It is not just there where Labour face a threat, following the dissolution of the Atherleigh ward and its rebranding to become ‘Atherton South and Liflord’, the new boundary area includes more territory dominated by the Independent Network. With Coun Mark Aldred stepping down after over 20 years in the job, there is a spot for a newcomer - which could be to the advantage of parties other than Labour.
Coun Aldred, Coun John Harding and Coun Debra Wailes are all long-standing councillors and would prove difficult to oust for newcomers, but now the former is stepping away as the ward boundary changes, it could open up opportunity. Despite this, Labour have a strong track record in previous years’ elections, having gained one seat last year to increase their massive majority in the council chamber and held all their seats the year before.
When out in the community talking to residents, the Local Democracy Reporting Service heard how some of the key issues for Wiganers, Leythers, Athertonians and Ashtonians included house building, road infrastructure, facilities for young people, cost of living and crime. House building was key for people around Atherton and Mosley Common following years of housing developments being approved around their area.
One key particular 1,050 home development eyed for green belt land in Mosley Common was the only mandate on Andy Brown’s campaign last year and it almost saw him elected. This proved that if candidates can get to grips with what is on people’s minds in a certain ward, they can see real success in terms of votes.
However, issues with crime, the cost of living and youth facilities were a common factor throughout the region and if candidates can prove that is what they can help deliver better on, they would be sure to turn some heads.
Here is what each political group has to say to voters ahead of polling day on Thursday, May 4:
Labour
Council leader Coun David Molyneux said: “As we go into this election on May 4, people are now facing crisis after crisis with energy bills and cost of living running totally out of control, our NHS is in meltdown and causing a major worry for so many. Despite having faced the biggest reduction in Government funding of most local authorities in the country, the Labour Group in Wigan is committed to continue to provide over 700 services for the 329,300 people of this borough, whilst maintaining the lowest council tax in Greater Manchester.
“We’ve also committed to pay all our social care workers in the borough the Foundation Living wage. We will also commit to create further employment opportunities for young people in the borough through our apprenticeship and graduate schemes and in support of our town centre’s we will continue to provide free weekend parking in our town centre car parks.
“We have also continued with our programme of building affordable housing having completed over 450 properties in 2022/23. We also agreed at our Council meeting in April to give our support to the WASPI campaign.”
Conservatives
Group leader Michael Winstanley said: “This year’s Local Elections are the most important in a generation as the whole council is up for election. This election is about who runs Wigan Council and who represents you as your councillor.
“In every part of the Wigan borough people will have an opportunity to elect a Conservative councillor who will focus on their local community and represent them at the town hall. In this election local Conservatives are concentrating on protecting the greenbelt and opposing inappropriate housing development.
“It is also time to regenerate town centres across the borough and make them appealing places to shop, live and work. The condition of our roads is nothing short of disgraceful and we need the council to fix our roads and pavements.
“The Labour Party constantly talks about the cost-of-living crisis and how they would make it better. However, when Labour councillors in Wigan had an opportunity to freeze council tax they chose to increase it by the maximum they could.
“Conservative councillors opposed that increase and we will continue to oppose council tax increases. In the council chamber Labour councillors spend too much time talking about national issues in which they have no control.
“Conservative councillors will be focused on the local community and improving your lives. If you want councillors focused on you, your family and the community then support your local conservative candidate on May 4."
Independent Network
Coun James Paul Watson said: “In the 2023 all out local elections the Independent Network are hoping to make gains within the Wigan Council chamber and will be supporting 10 independent candidates within the borough. We believe that local elections are about local people who are passionate about the communities that they represent.
“We will be standing three candidates in Atherton North, three in Atherton South and Lilford, three in Hindley and one in Tyldesley and Mosley Common. National politics and the main political parties often determine the way in which our residents vote and due to this dominance, we think that people need a credible third option at the local level.
“Local politics is about local issues, your street NOT Downing Street, and as Independents we are not whipped or hold any political ideals, therefore, can always prioritise the needs of the electorate over that of a political party or ideology. We believe in representing the values of our residents and want investment and levelling up fairly distributed throughout the borough and not just in the two main district centres.
“We want to save our green spaces for the next generation to enjoy and drastically need investment in all aspects of our local infrastructure.”
Liberal Democrats
Lib Dem candidate John Skipworth said: “The Liberal Democrats provide an alternative choice for electors who want to see an effective opposition to the stagnation of Wigan under the Labour administration. Liberal Democrat councillors are committed to serve the community they represent and will report back regularly on their activities to local residents.
“Recent years have seen a steady growth in the party's vote in Local and Parliamentary elections here. Once elected Liberal Democrat councillors will seek to hold the new administration to account and ensure a just and equitable spread of resources across the borough.”
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