Regeneration in Reddish
House of Commons · Westminster Hall · 1 Jul 2026 · 15 speeches · Official Report
I beg to move, That this House has considered Government support for regeneration in Reddish. It is a pleasure to serve in this debate with you and other colleagues, Mr Western. I thank everyone who has contacted me regarding the status and future of Reddish library and Reddish baths, and more widely about investment across Reddish. The strength of local feeling on the issue is clear. Reddish grew rapidly during the industrial revolution as canals and railways brought cotton mills, engineering works and brick-making industries to the area. In 1901, it was officially incorporated into the borough of Stockport. Following industrial decline, many factories closed, and today Reddish is mainly a residential area with a thriving community. Reddish is new to the Stockport constituency following parliamentary boundary changes in 2024. I am proud to represent the area. I welcome the fact that this Labour Government have increased central Government funding for Stockport council: by 2028-29, Stockport’s core spending power will rise by 7.5%. However, that is below the average increase for English councils. I have consistently called on the Labour Government to deliver the fair funding that Stockport deserves after years of under-investment. The uplift marks a clear change in direction compared with the coalition years, when Stockport was hit by deep austerity cuts. I call on the Liberal Democrat-run Stockport council to take investment in Reddish seriously.
I am delighted, as I always am, that Stockport is getting rightful attention in this place. Does the hon. Member agree that it is genuinely disappointing that although the Government talked about giving extra money to local councils, and have overall, Stockport has been short-changed? He will know, because it is in his constituency, that Stockport is the least well-off part of Greater Manchester, yet because we missed out on extra funding by 0.1%, services will have to be cut. That was a decision of this Labour Government.
In meetings with the hon. Lady I have pushed the Government for more funding for Stockport, and I just mentioned that the Government should go beyond what the 7.5% increase will deliver. I agree that more deprived and lower-income areas across Stockport and Greater Manchester deserve more attention; we cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach. As a politician, I will make political points, but I hope she sees that my voting record and my record in Hansard show that I do what is best for Stockport.
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
I am happy to take an intervention from Northern Ireland.
I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate; he is absolutely right to press for his constituents. Does he agree that whether we are talking about an urban, industrial town like Reddish or a rural community, for instance my Strangford constituency, the foundational rules of successful regeneration remain exactly the same? Regeneration requires targeted central Government support, modernised infrastructure and revitalised high streets, so that people can live, work and thrive in their home towns. The hon. Gentleman is pressing for that. I support him, and wish him well.
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. It is extremely important to invest in our high streets and have thriving high streets with independent local businesses, as well as thriving district centres. We are lucky that Reddish has a wide range of fantastic independent local businesses, as I will mention later. As I said, I call on the Liberal Democrat-run Stockport council to take investment in Reddish seriously, and nowhere is the need for fair investment clearer than in Reddish. Stockport council must not continue to overlook its needs when allocating funding. Reddish faces many issues, including serious health inequalities. In Reddish the average male life expectancy is 78 and the average female life expectancy is 83. That is lower than other parts of my constituency, where the average male life expectancy is 81 and the average female life expectancy is 84. Residents have consistently raised concerns with me about ageing infrastructure, a lack of high-quality public facilities and the lack of investment in the area. The people of Reddish deserve good-quality public amenities and facilities, and better infrastructure in key green spaces like Reddish Vale and North Reddish park. Under the previous Government, many residents felt forgotten, while more affluent areas of Stockport benefited from sustained investment. Sadly, this is continuing under our Liberal Democrat-controlled local authority. It is purely a political choice, just as austerity was. Can I remind the...
Will the hon. Member give way on that point?
I have limited time and am already running behind. I may give way later, if I can. The people of Reddish are not asking for special treatment; they just want fairness. I ask that the people of Reddish get equal treatment, and the same investment and urgency that appear elsewhere in Stockport borough. If money is so tight, why does this neglect never seem to fall equally across Stockport borough? As an MP, I expect my correspondence and freedom of information requests to be dealt with promptly. The fact that I have had to repeatedly chase responses from Stockport council is unacceptable, and it inevitably leads me to question the level of service that local residents receive. If inquiries from elected representatives such as councillors and MPs are not being answered in a timely manner, it is reasonable to be concerned about the responsiveness and accountability experienced by constituents. I made a freedom of information submission on 23 April. Stockport council contacted me on 5 May to say that it was unable to respond within 20 working days and needed 40 working days. The deadline for that was 22 June, which has come and gone. Today is 1 July, and I have been told that I must continue to wait for the information. The council cannot even respond to FOIs in a timely manner, which is frankly unacceptable. It would be remiss of me not to mention Lancashire Hill, a development built with the ambitious vision of creating a thriving community. Despite decades of challenges, it...
indicated assent.
My constituency neighbour, the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart), is nodding. At a time when the Labour Government and the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation are helping to deliver 8,000 new homes, the case for investment in Lancashire Hill has never been stronger. Growth must be matched by fairness. While we build for the future, we must not overlook existing communities living in ageing housing and facing persistent challenges. Lancashire Hill deserves to share in that vision for renewal, with the investment necessary to modernise homes, improve the local environment and give residents the quality of life that they rightly expect. Many constituents living on the Lancashire Hill estate feel that they deserve better, and I agree with them. I would welcome the Minister’s attention on the acute challenges facing communities with significant need. I invite the Minister-my good friend-to visit Stockport. I promise to take her to the UK’s only hat museum, which is in my constituency. I would also like to take her to Lancashire Hill to meet residents and see at first hand the issues and challenges facing the community, as well as the extraordinary community spirit that endures there. I want the Government to provide the investment needed to modernise that vital development, so that families can enjoy the safe, secure and high-quality homes that they deserve. Stockport council also has a duty of care to the residents of Lancashire Hill, and I want the council...
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Navendu Mishra) for securing this debate, and for using this opportunity to highlight so powerfully not only the brilliant things about his constituency and Reddish, but the challenges that need to be addressed. The regeneration of our towns and cities is at the heart of this Government’s core mission to deliver growth and prosperity in all corners of the country. Protecting and enhancing local areas, including vital community assets such as libraries, leisure facilities and health facilities, is central to that work. I know that that is felt particularly keenly in neighbourhoods across Stockport, including Reddish, which my hon. Friend has spoken about today. Too many neighbourhoods have been let down and left behind after decades of under-investment and many years of austerity-areas such as Reddish have paid a heavy price. I know that political choices have to be made, but the consequences of the choices made in the austerity years are still being felt by people in Reddish. My hon. Friend was absolutely right to say that the impact of years of decline has not been felt equally. That is why it is crucial that this Government are relentless in focusing on growth and regeneration to raise living standards across the country. By working in partnership to invest in and empower all regions of this country, we will kick-start growth and work to address the imbalances that exist between and within regions. Funds such as the local...
I strongly agree with the Minister’s point about local leaders being best placed to make decisions. However, does she agree that when £3 of every £4 of Stockport council’s revenue spending goes on social care for children or adults, the number of choices that the council can make is far too limited?
I entirely agree that local government has for too long been underfunded, and we are, as a Labour Government, having to respond to 14 years of deep austerity. Having spent 10 years in local government, I would want to see more if the pot were endless, but politics is full of choices, as my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport said. Before us is the choice being made by this Government to ensure that we target resources at the areas that need them most. Projects such as Pride in Place, and the record amount of money given to local authorities across the country, demonstrate that. There is much more to do, which is why I welcome this debate. My hon. Friend has highlighted the need for more investment in Reddish. I was pleased to hear that, since the launch of the Pride in Place fund, really good progress has been made, but there is more to do, and I hear his strong representations. I know that local services, including decent library services, are a lifeline to many people up and down the country, including in Reddish and other parts of my hon. Friend’s constituency. I pay tribute to the individuals he mentioned in his speech, some of whom contribute on a voluntary basis. If it were not for the voluntary sector, and for individuals who help communities through their activities, we would be much worse off as a country. I pay tribute to those individuals, as well as to local council officers who work in frontline services and care so deeply and passionately about things such as...
Sitting suspended.