MEET THE CANDIDATES : The Labour Party Minster & Woodmansey

Your Labour candidates for Minster and Woodmansey are Alan Ablett, George McManus and Ann Willis.

Our priorities for East Riding Council reflect the priorities of local people. But County Hall needs to be shaken up if we are not to be left behind. There needs to be change at County Hall to reflect the change in our wider community. The Council must work for the people in the services it delivers or Beverley and the wider county will be spoiled by big business interests and over-exploitation of natural resources.

Finances. East Riding Tories have built up £400m of debt which is a legacy we will leave to the next generation. Many of our schools are massively in debt. Tories are happy to borrow whilst pretending to be a well-run authority. Now they are selling off a huge portfolio of assets to try and plug the gap – assets bought with money raised from you, the taxpayer. East Riding should live within its means.

Fracking. We oppose any fracking, which might damage our water supplies or degrade the wider environment.

Housing. We support the construction and expansion of affordable housing across the region, but oppose the rapid overdevelopment of executive homes currently taking place on our green belt in Beverley.

Schools and education. Although our local MP is chair of the education select committee, the Tories have allowed the East Riding to drop to the bottom of the national funding league. We will campaign for fair funding, oppose school closures and oppose placement of unqualified teachers in our schools.

Social Care. Our vulnerablecitizens deserve to be supported. We will fight Tory cuts, improve inspections for private care homes and support our NHS. We will campaign for reintroducing home meals deliveries so cruelly abolished by the Council

Young people. Tories have sacked youth workers and closed youth clubs. Our young people need places to go. We will campaign for more youth workers and youth clubs.

Public transport. These vital services have been devastated by East Riding Tories. We will defend bus services and work to increase school transport provision.

The Cost of Living Crisis: Hundreds of council workers claim benefits because they can’t survive on minimum wage. ERYC should be a Living Wage employer.