"We've got a great plan ahead", says leader of Gloucester City Council after making significant gains in elections
The Conservatives won a total of 26 seats - and gained a majority of 13
The leader of Gloucester City Council says they’ve got a “great plan ahead” to regenerate the city of Gloucester after making significant gains in the latest elections.
The Conservatives boosted their majority now have 26 Tory representatives on the city council.
They've gone from now overall control to a majority of 13 seats with Richard Cook saying "it's the result they deserve".
Leader Richard Cook, and councillor for Kingsway, said:
"There's be a huge amount of hard work by a great team of people and it's a fantastic majority.
"I think we're doing a great job here in Gloucester and we aim to continue to do that.
"Our opposition has pointed the finger at us and told us we've ran out of ideas, well residents have shown them they don't agree".
We caught up with Richard Cook after the elections results were declared. You can read his comments below.
Sustainable Regenertaion
"We've got a great plan ahead to continue to regenerate the city in a green and sustainable way.
"The city centre is where most of this is already happen and will continue to do so.
"From King's Walk, King's Square which is undergoing regeneration at the moment. The wider King's Quarter complimenting the new bus station and work is already underway at the train station to improve that as well.
"A bit further out the city in St Oswald's, we're looking at getting 300 new homes delivered in the next year or so".
Jobs and the economy
"These projects will absolutely boost jobs and the economy.
"If you think about King's Quarter alone where we're investing £107m, that we're hoping will bring in around 1,000 news jobs.
"And they'll be skilled jobs as well because there'll be Grade A office space there that will attract that sort of employee and that sort of job.
Helping people recover from the pandemic
"We've always tried to help those in disadvantaged or vulnerable positions.
"Some of our retiring councillors were heavily involved in organising the food lit that we did during the first wave of the pandemic.
"So we're always keen to get on with that and deliver better there as well".