08/09/2026
Residents Fury at False and Exaggerated Claims by the Labour Party in South Ward
The Labour Party in their recent leaflet delivered in South Ward are trying to claim credit for the hard work carried out by LibDem Councillor Stephens and his team with active support from local residents. Residents are so angry that many say that they will make a strong complaint to the Labour Party. Let us unpick a few of Labours Claims:
Major Boost for Street Cleaning
Does Labour forget that they have been running the Council for the last 14 years and that they have let the Town get in this awful state. Have Labour walked around South Ward and seen the litter on the streets with some streets seldom cleaned, the weeds growing on the pavements and regular flytipping.
Labour cannot take credit for the crime scene investigation approach. This is wholly a Council Officer initiative, based on the system trialled with some success in some London boroughs.
Pathway Extension in Osborne Rd
Labour claim that they have been campaigning for the pathway extension since 2023. Well, residents know full well that LibDem Councillor Stephens organised the initial site visit with officers at the beginning of 2024 and when the scheme was considered feasible he worked with officers to identify funding for the scheme which was eventually secured through Section 106. He and his team have kept regular contact with officers for progress updates and have kept residents informed by email and through the Focus Newsletters right up to the present time when much of the work has been completed. Work on the double yellow lines and path extension are planned for
October.
Cracking Down on Nuisance Parking
Labour claim they are cracking down on nuisance parking, well there is no sign of their work in South Ward. Councillor Stephens and his team actively fought with his team to get residents parking schemes introduced in Cutenhoe Road, Seymour Rd, Alton Rd and Park St and in Baker, May and Cambridge. These schemes much appreciated by residents, have massively reduced airport parking and parking from commuters and town centre workers and have provided valuable parking space for residents
Recently Councillor Stephens successful petitioned with residents for a consultation to be conducted in West Hill Rd, Tennyson Rd, St Pauls’ Rd, and Harcourt and Cowper streets to extend the permit parking scheme to these roads due to the massive nuisance parking from airport parkers, commuters and town centre workers.
Labour opposed all these schemes claiming residents would not or could not afford to pay for permits.
Labour Claim they are Investing in a New Bin Squad to deal with Bins on Pavements Problems
Whilst Labour wait for a new team to be recruited and trained sometime in the future to deal with the problem, over the past couple of years LibDem Councillor Stephens and his team have worked practically with council officers to implement a successful bins off pavement scheme in May, Cambridge and Baker Streets and the lower end of Strathmore Av. They have also worked with officers to move bins off pavements in Park St and to remind residents that bins must not be left out permanently. Finally, Libdem Councillor Stephens joined an action day with a large team of council officers, door knocking in Tavistock St/Crescent and Arthur St to get residents views on how they would like to deal with the very problematic permanent pavement bin and flytipping problem. LibDem Councillor Stephens will follow this through with officers to find solutions acceptable to both residents and the Council.
Tough Action on HMO’s
Labour forgot to mention when they say that they are progressing an Article 4 Direction on HMOs to give the Council greater planning control over HMO’s that the opportunity to progress this initiative, came about through the excellent petition that local residents signed and that LibDem Councillor Stephens managed to successfully steer through the Petitions Board.
They also overlooked to mention Labour Council have allowed the private Housing Dept Over the years to run a depleted Inspectorate Service that is currently unable to deal with new HMO licences let alone the new Selective and Additional Licencing Schemes, they claim will make a difference
Tackling Anti-social Behaviour
LibDem Councillor Stephens is well aware of problems and issues in the Town Centre. He is not only a member of the Town Centre Task Force that deals with issues such as ASB, vunerable people, and regeneration, but he chaired the cross party Nighttime Economy Group that was tasked with trying to rebuild Luton’s nighttime economy and night life. The question should be, is Labour aware of the ASB problems in South Ward. We see regular anti-social behaviour in Memorial Park and Stockwood, s*x working in our streets, cannabis factories opening up and being raided regular drug dealing and drug taking at many hotspots around the ward. What is the contribution that Labour is making to deal with these?
It is one thing to sit idly and do little to no action to help the residents of South Ward. It is another thing to do nothing then steal Liberal Democrat achievements as if they are their own! This is a failing administration, and change is definitely necessary!
