I am immensely proud of our Reform Burnley councillors this week. Despite this being only their second full Burnley Council meeting, six of our newly elected councillors, half the group, stood up and spoke in the chamber, raising issues and representing the people who put their trust in us.
That level of engagement shows the passion, commitment and determination our councillors have to stand up for residents. Sadly, some councillors from other parties have still not spoken in the chamber since being elected. Our approach is different: we were elected to represent people, ask questions and get things done.
This week our councillors delivered passionate speeches on the horrific crimes committed against children through organised child exploitation. These are some of the most serious crimes imaginable, and the voices of victims and families must never be ignored. We will not let this issue be forgotten or brushed aside. We will continue to raise concerns, demand accountability and fight for justice for every single victim across our town. Those who committed these crimes, and those who failed in their responsibilities to protect children, must be held to account.
We rejected a motion, brought forward by an Independent councillor, calling on Burnley Council to write to the Pakistani Government regarding the disputed territory of Kashmir. We have said consistently that we will only raise or back motions that benefit all residents across our town. We will not waste time on issues that serve no common purpose, or that amount to virtue signalling, political grandstanding or gaslighting. You can watch our councillors set out their reasons in the chamber: Cllr Gavin Theaker, Cllr Liam Thomson and Cllr Chris Weekes, and read our full report.
The number one concern raised by Burnley residents during the recent elections was the unchecked rise of HMOs across our town. We brought a motion to full council to set out the impact on residents and to call for Article 4 planning protection to be extended immediately to the remaining six wards across our borough. We now await Burnley Council’s executive decision, and trust they will make the right decision for Burnley residents. There is more on that in our HMO campaign update.
The days of political deals behind closed doors, back-scratching and putting party interests before residents are over. We will continue to challenge and call out anything that does not put Burnley first.
Local Government Reorganisation has now been announced, with shadow authority elections planned. Reform Burnley already has a strong team of councillors, and we are seeing huge interest from people from all walks of life who want to stand and represent their communities when the time comes.
Across Burnley, our councillors continue to work hard in their communities, listening to residents, dealing with local concerns and pushing for action. If there is an issue we can help with, please get in touch.
We are also continuing our campaign to restore civic pride across our communities. Litter picks have taken place across Burnley and Padiham, and we are working with highways teams on issues such as cleaning signage and improving roundabouts. These may seem like small things, but they make a huge difference to how our communities look and feel.
Finally, a huge thank you to every single supporter across our great town. Your encouragement, trust and support make everything we do possible.
Reform Burnley will continue to listen, act and put residents first. 🇬🇧
Cllr Mark Poulton Burnley Reform Group Leader, Burnley Borough Council