New York Mayor praises Plymouth council leaders

Plymouth City Council has been praised this week by Cities of Service, the international organisation founded by Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York, which supports cities and encourages local governments and citizens to work together.

This week, Cities of Service have singled Plymouth City Council out for praise after a successful Council initiative to develop “Energy Champions” to help people save money on their energy bills, as well as “Grow, Share Cook” - a scheme which helped people learn the skills to access and prepare fresh fruit and vegetables. Following this highly successful initiative, which helped people save an average of £178 a year, Centre for Cities wrote “The numbers of people whose lives have been improved as a result of Cities of Service in Plymouth are impressive.”

Despite the initiative being deemed a huge success, a funding bid to the government to continue the scheme was refused by the Conservative Minister for Civil Society.

Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: 
“I am so thrilled that Mayor Bloomberg and Cities of Service have recognised the fact that we really are making waves in Plymouth. We are an energetic, forward thinking City Council with huge ideas about how to improve the city we live in.

“Voting for the Tories on 5 May will only take Plymouth backwards; they will cut the numbers of police officers on our streets even further at a time that we need them most. If people want to see a City Council that continues to make Plymouth a city that leads on the world stage, the only vote is for Labour.”

Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Co-operatives and Housing, said:

“I am very proud to have led on the Cities of Service scheme in Plymouth and pleased that it has brought such fantastic results for those struggling with food poverty or high energy bills.

“However, the Tories seek to undo all of this. They knocked back a funding bid that would help us sustain and increase the work we did and the help we were able to provide. This is typical of the Tories short sighted approach to local government.”