I’m Minesh, a Labour and Co-operative Councillor and portfolio holder on Sheffield City Council. I’ve worked with colleagues to support Community Wealth Building policies, mitigate the cost-of-living crisis, and to centre climate justice in our work. Despite difficult funding settlements, I’m proud of the decisions taken to ringfence services and deliver for residents.

I’m also proud that Sheffield was the first council to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza; it is right that councils champion our communities’ voices and stand up for peace and justice.

As your NEC Rep, my priority would be increasing local government funding.

The Tory government forced councils to make unbearable cuts, which we all know must come to an end. There’s an alternative future within reach: local authorities building council housing, creating good green jobs, providing publicly-owned buses and trams. But we won’t get there with one arm tied behind our backs.

Our election landslide gives us a mandate to transform our country. The new Labour government can and must end fourteen years of austerity, lift the burden from our councils, residents and local businesses; and transform local government.