Page 7 - City Life Magazine - Summer 2022

www.worcester.gov.uk 7

JOINT LEADER’S MESSAGE

Dear residents, able to find a range of further ways
in which the Council can help ease
This year’s elections have come and the burden on residents and local
gone and once more no one party businesses. If you have any specific
has a majority on Worcester City ideas on what we can locally do to
Council. This has been the case help, then please do get in touch with
for much of my 21 years on the me or one of your local councillors.
Council and means that councillors
of differing political persuasions Finally, I want to pay tribute to all
will need to work together and those residents across Worcester who
find compromises to get things have offered to open up their homes
done. This is no bad thing and, in my to those fleeing the terrible atrocities
experience, brings out some of the in Ukraine. I’m sure like all of you, I
best in local government. never thought we would see such
events happening again, especially so
Marc Bayliss One of the changes we have made close to home. The strength of feeling
to the constitution is to allow for joint the war has generated and the desire
leaders from the two largest parties. to do something to help has been
As of writing this, the second largest truly heart-warming. Ukrainian guests
party, Labour, has not yet taken up have been arriving in the UK for a few
their position but I certainly hope weeks now and I have been fortunate
they will as we have some significant enough to meet some locally. They
challenges to meet this year, including: really are such lovely people whose
supporting people with their costs of lives have been ripped apart by this
living; shaping our bid for up to £20 totally unnecessary war.
million of Levelling Up funding, and
delivering the £43 million of projects Thank you to all those Worcester
we have already secured from the residents who are helping support
Government. In my view we need our Ukrainian visitors and making their
the collective wisdom and efforts of time with us as positive and enjoyable
all 35 councillors focused on working as possible. Unfortunately, the war
together if we are going to deliver for shows no sign of stopping so we need
the people of Worcester. to prepare ourselves to continue our
efforts for as long as necessary. If you
At the top of my “to do list” is how can help in any way please do get in
we support residents and families touch with either the City or County
with the cost of living challenges councils, or go to worcester.gov.uk/
that many are facing. The Council Ukraine to find out more. We can all
is already supporting the effort by do our bit to help!
distributing the £150 Council Tax
rebate to eligible households, as well Kind regards,
as having discretionary monies to Marc
support those in need but who don’t
fit the national criteria. But we need Councillor Marc Bayliss
to do more and I hope we will be Joint Leader – Worcester City Council

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