⬤ Rebuilding TRUST
Party politics in Liverpool has failed. We can’t trust politicians to sort out the mess that they have created.
Liverpool people no longer trust the City Council. We have a health crisis, a jobs crisis and now – unforgivably – a political crisis.
A crisis of trust. We can’t help each other if we don’t trust each other.
I’ve spent a lifetime building trust between Liverpool people of all communities, races, ages and abilities.
As your Mayor, I’ll work every day to re-build trust between the Council and the people it serves.
I believe in being open and honest with people and I want our Council to be the same.
I’ll take a new public Civic Pledge and make sure that every Cabinet Member, councillor and senior officer does, to ensure the highest standards of behaviour and transparency.
I’ll create a new, independent way for “whistle-blowers” to report dodgy deals and unethical behaviour and ensure wrong-doing and complaints are dealt with speedily and independently.
I’ll make sure Liverpool is a safe and welcoming place for proper investment, not a haven for cowboys and funny money. There can be no more low standards in high places in Liverpool.
⬤ Offering real-life EXPERIENCE
It’s not ambition that qualifies you for standing for Mayor, it’s experience.
I’m not a politician. But – like you – I’ve been appalled by recent events in our city. And I want to do something about it.
And I believe I have the real-life experience Liverpool needs right now.
For over 40 years, the charity I founded – KIND (Kids in Need and Distress) – has helped literally thousands of under-privileged children, young people and families across the city of Liverpool.
It’s been a privilege for me to watch the kids we’ve helped grow and flourish.
With my KIND co-workers, volunteers and supporters we have been able to transform young lives through skills training, mentoring, mental health support and much more. We give kids, parents and carers essential help, from food to days out or just someone to talk to.
We’ve turned lives around. With your help we can turn Liverpool around, too.
I don’t have all the answers.
But as your mayor, I’ll get the best people to use their experience and knowledge to tackle our city’s problems.
⬤ Bringing Liverpool TOGETHER
The only way out of a crisis – whether it’s austerity, Covid or climate change – is by working together.
We have to stop fighting with each other and starting fighting for each other.
It’s time to bring the whole City back together.
Hundreds of millions of pounds have been spent on regeneration but many areas on the edge of the city centre and in North Liverpool have seen precious little benefit.
We’ve got to improve life and life chances for all our communities and make a city that nurtures all its talent and potential.
That’s why I want to launch Liverpool’s biggest ever skills initiative to rebuild our city.
And I will launch TEAM LIVERPOOL, an army of volunteers to combat loneliness and improve our neighbourhoods
I am willing to work with Councillors from all political parties, and with every sector and every community in our City.
That’s the Liverpool way, and it’s the only way we can rebuild our City and renew our democracy.
⬤ Stephen’s Ten Point Plan to Reset Liverpool
- A new Independent body to enforce the highest standards of behaviour and transparency across our Council.
- Root and branch investigation into alleged corruption across all Council departments.
- Build homes for families not speculators – make sure we’re building the rights homes for the future in the right places.
- Harness the talent and potential of our young people to rebuild our City with a city-wide skills initiative offering quality vocational training and qualifications.
- Work with parents, carers, schools and universities on a city-wide “Summer School” to help kids catch up with their studies.
- Put Liverpool ahead of the game by making AI an integral part of our children’s education – prepare now for the jobs of the future.
- Ensure regeneration reaches every part of our city and delivers investment and opportunity to every neighbourhood.
- Launch Team Liverpool, an army of volunteers to combat loneliness and improve our neighbourhoods.
- Work with businesses, retailers, designers and community groups to rethink and revive the City Centre post-Covid.
- Launch a joined-up Green Plan for Liverpool to make our City clean, safe and sustainable for future generations.
