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Labour councils up and down the country are helping to improve the lives of their residents.

Week in, week out, Labour councils, working in partnership with the NHS, Homes England and the Labour Government, are getting things done for their local communities on the things that matter to local people.

Every week, LabourList brings you a selection of the great work being done by Labour councils and Labour mayors. 

This week we feature:

• Fixing more roads faster in Plymouth
• Work starts on new Wigan railway station
• New Council homes in Swansea
• Football and wellbeing hub planned for Rochdale
• New community space in Telford &Wrekin
• London’s next great riverside neighbourhood at Greenwich
• North East Mayor creates 1,600 education and training places

Please send news from your council to Paul Dimoldenberg at .

Plymouth: Project pothole – Fixing more roads faster

Labour’s Plymouth Council has launched Project Pothole – a major investment to improve Plymouth’s roads and tackle more potholes than ever before. 

This year, the Council is investing an additional £4.06 million into road repairs and maintenance, with the aim of repairing 20,000 potholes and road defects across the city during 2026/27. That is a significant increase on the approximately 8,300 repairs the Council would normally deliver in a year. In August, 1,100 potholes and road defects were filled, bringing it to a total of 6,383 potholes and road defects filled since April 2026.

Wigan: Work starts on new Golborne railway station

Golborne train station is on track to open in spring 2028, with contractors starting ground investigation and surveys. When complete, the two-platform Golborne station will provide hourly train services connecting Wigan to Manchester’s city centre via Manchester Victoria. Golborne station will be close to its predecessor, which closed in the 1960s, on the West Coast Main Line just off Railway Road. It will be five miles south of Wigan North Western station.

The new train station, delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester, will have step-free access for its two platforms. The project for the £36 million station also includes improvements to the town centre car park on site.

Swansea: New Council homes in Swansea

major agreement has been struck by Labour Swansea Council with housebuilder Persimmon to acquire 141 homes at a development between Gorseinon and Penllergaer.

Under the terms of the agreement, 71 of the homes will be made available through a low-cost home ownership scheme. The remaining 70 properties will be for council housing for families and individuals on the Council’s housing waiting list.

Once completed, the development – with Llys Pentre accessible from Penllergaer and Cwrt y Brenin accessed from Gorseinon – is set to deliver up to 750 new zero-carbon ready homes.

The scheme also includes a primary school, park, commercial spaces, and open spaces designed to create a sustainable and well-connected community.

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Rochdale: Football and wellbeing hub planned for Middleton

Labour’s Rochdale Council and Rochdale AFC have partnered to makeover Bowlee Playing Fields, improving the 27-acre site’s drainage issues and creating the infrastructure needed for community sport to thrive. Integral to the plans is a two-storey hub for Rochdale AFC. This 6,000 sq ft building will include changing facilities for the club, a gym, media area, offices, and recreation facilities. There will also be a changing and social space for the community and offices.

The hub includes a full-size 3G artificial grass pitch for the Rochdale AFC Community Trust, as well as a grass training area for the football club. An existing community grass football pitch will also be retained and upgraded as part of the proposals. The community sports pavilion will be 7,200 sq ft and operated by Your Trust, a charity focused on improving leisure and health provision in Rochdale. This portion of the project includes a 40-station health and fitness gym, changing rooms, and a community room with kitchen and social space. New cricket nets will also be brought in and two full-size 3G artificial grass pitches created.

Telford and Wrekin: New community space following a major restoration programme.

The iconic Gower building in Telford by Labour Telford & Wrekin Council. The Gower was originally constructed in 1873 as a community hospital before later becoming a school and youth centre. New community and office space for St George’s & Priorslee Parish Council completes the programme of work, alongside 13 private rented homes which were handed over and occupied by residents late last year.

The southern wing of the original building has been repurposed into three two-bedroom homes, whilst the north wing has been converted into a new community space and offices. In addition to the three homes within the existing building, there are also ten two-bedroom new build homes situated to the rear of the development and a communal garden. 

Greenwich: London’s next great riverside neighbourhood

One of London’s biggest regeneration sites has moved a step closer to becoming a new riverside neighbourhood after Labour’s Royal Borough of Greenwich, the Greater London Authority and Transport for London joined forces to unlock the future of Charlton Riverside. 

The long-term vision for Charlton Riverside includes around 8,000 new homes and 1,000 new jobs, alongside new schools, community facilities, greener public spaces, better access to the River Thames and continued support for one of London’s most important industrial locations, including its growing creative industries. 

Charlton Riverside already plays a vital role in London’s economy. Construction materials continue to arrive at Charlton Riverside by ship before being transported across the capital by rail and road, making it a vital part of the infrastructure that helps keep London building. The ambition is to build on that strength, creating a neighbourhood where industry, homes and public spaces can thrive side by side. 

North East: Mayor creates more than 1,600 education and training places

Labour North East Mayor Kim McGuinness to invest £1.8m in creating more than 1,600 additional education and training places to help meet growing demand for post-16 education as the number of 16- to 18-year-olds living in the North East continues to rise. The Post-16 Programme will fund 14 projects across all seven local authority areas, supporting colleges, sixth forms and academies to expand teaching facilities, develop specialist learning spaces and improve support for learners with additional needs. The funding will be used for refurbishment of existing buildings, converting underused space and expanding SEND provision. 

The investment will be used to develop education and training places at Bishop Auckland College, New College Durham, East Durham College, Durham Sixth Form Centre, South Tyneside College, Tyne Coast College, City of Sunderland College, Gateshead College, Newcastle College, North East Futures UTC, Gosforth Academy, Newcastle Sixth Form, and Northumberland College Kirkley Hall Campus.

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