Worcester City Councillor Sarah Murray, who serves as the Council’s Member Champion for Personal Safety and Civility in Public Office, has spoken about the need to improve the tone of political debate following a challenging County Council election campaign. Cllr Murray said she made a considered effort to run a civil, community-focused campaign — but was nonetheless met with personal insults, misrepresentation, and name-calling, both in person and on social media. “In my role as Member Champion, I’ve worked to promote dignity, safety and accountability in public life,” she said. “Through our White Ribbon accreditation and other initiatives, we’ve taken steps to build a more inclusive and respectful political culture.” Reflecting on her experience, she said: “Despite doing everything I could to stay positive and focused on local issues, I encountered hostility that crossed a line. These moments were difficult — not just for me, but for what they suggest about the environment we’re creating for public debate.” She made a conscious decision not to respond to personal attacks during the campaign. “Choosing not to engage with negativity allowed me to stay focused on the issues that matter to residents. I know others made the same choice, in the interest of keeping the conversation constructive.” Cllr Murray stressed that her concern goes beyond the result of any one election. “This isn’t about winning or losing — it’s about whether we’re making politics accessible and fair. If standing for election means opening yourself up to personal abuse, many good people will simply decide it’s not worth it.” She is calling for renewed efforts across all parties to foster a respectful and inclusive political culture. “We need to talk seriously about the barriers to participation. Because if this is how we treat those who step forward, we risk losing capable and compassionate people — particularly women — before they ever get the chance to lead.” Cllr Murray continues to serve as a City Councillor and says her commitment to public service remains strong. “I’ll keep speaking up — not just for myself, but for the next person watching and wondering if public life is for them. It can be — but only if we work together to make it safe, respectful and truly open for all.’’
Cllr Mel Allcott re-elected to Worcestershire County Council
Councillor Mel Allcott has received a emphatic endorsement from the voters in Claines in the Worcestershire County Council elections. Cllr Allcott, who also represents Claines on the city council, received over 50% of the total votes in Claines which also saw the highest turnout across the City with just over 40% of residents making their voices heard. With 1,656 votes, Mel finished well clear of the second placed candidate and narrowly beat her own total from 2021. It was a fine display and a ringing endorsement of the hard work that Mel and the team had put in to the area in the last 4 years. Before the vote, Mel had highlighted the need for an agreement on moving the Social Care situation forward in Worcester seeking a consensus across the political divide. She also drew attention to the long running saga surrounding the footpath around the Claines River which she intends to follow through on when it’s brought on the Council agenda in June. After receiving the results, Mel said ‘I can’t thank the people of Claines enough for their votes and for the faith they continue to place in me. I am obviously very grateful to everyone for their support and its so important to see that people still feel we are doing a good job and have given us the nod to keep going. ‘We are entering into a period now where things are going to change as the Government brings in their devolution plans, but being across County and City I hope to be able to face those challenges head on.’
Cllr Allcott Seeks Solution to Claines River Footpath Debacle
Cllr Mel Allcott has today pledged to finally put an end to the long running saga of the Claines River Footpath. The area in question involves the much loved and used public footpath on the riverside at Northwick Marina, Neweys Hill linking Cove Gardens, which is in proximity to the newly built Kepax Bridge and the the Slip at Northwick. Since its closure in March of 2021, the future of the footpath has been in limbo together with the retrospective planning application for the two already constructed bungalows sited above the footpath currently being let as an Airbnb and a holiday “cottage.” Confusion has continued to grow over responsibility and costs for reinstating a public right of way. The saga began in 2016, when a title was registered at the Marina Site and planning permission approved for a residential mooring. One year later planning permission was granted for a floating house and two marina bungalows. Drainage conditions were applied. In 2019 construction began according to the latest retrospective planning application. Yet public records state it commenced in 2020. Around this time a letter from the Ramblers Association to the council states that a diversion of the footpath had been discussed for some months. The county council were in touch with consultants regarding the erosion of the footpath and by March 2021 the footpath was closed for safety reasons. The cost of repair to the footpath was placed at £500,000. This cost was more than the budget for all footpaths across the county and no approval for spend was given. At one point a diversion was looked at in great detail but even this proved unsuccessful. Cllr Allcott requested funds from the Kepax Bridge project be used to repair the footpath and Cllr Jessie Jagger requested clarification on the landslip at a county council meeting. Funds were not approved and suitable clarification not provided. Cllr Allcott requested planning enforcement visit the site and as a direct result the city council requested a retrospective planning application. The application became valid in July 2024 and the consultation ended in 2025. Cllr Allcott then requested this go to planning committee and it is anticipated to be on the June 2025 agenda after the County Elections Cllr Allcott has committed more time to this case than any other since being first elected in 2019. Many residents have been in contact and endless meetings have taken place. Cllr Allcott said ‘I intend to speak at the relevant planning committee and in detail around the concerns and evidence submitted about the construction of this site and the corresponding river bank erosion. I’d like to express a huge amount of thanks to all the residents who have put in a significant amount of time and input to this. I’m hoping this will resolve and “put right” the river bank footpath for residents and also put an end to this long running and confusing saga once and for all’
WLD Calls for Unilateral Agreement on Social Care
Worcester Liberal Democrats are challenging all county council candidates to join them in a campaign to improve social care services across the county. Mel Allcott, Liberal Democrat Candidate in Claines said “Waiting times in Worcestershire hospital A&E departments are a scandal for which national government and the Tory-led County Council share responsibility. “The record is shocking. The NHS standard is for all patients attending A&E Departments to be seen within 4 hours. In March 2025 that standard was met for 61% of patients nationwide and 53% of patients attending the Worcestershire hospitals. “In other words if you attend a Worcestershire A&E department there is a roughly 50% chance that your care will need meet NHS standards Stephen Dorrell – Liberal Democrat candidate in Bedwardine and previously Health Secretary and Chair of the NHS Confederation – said “This failure is the result of a decade of Tory mismanagement of the NHS, but it is also the result of under investment in social care and community services by the county council. When social care fails, the result is felt in NHS emergency services. ‘According to a recent Worcester News article as of the latest available data, approximately 53% of medically fit patients at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust remain in hospital due to delays in arranging social care support. This equates to 117 out of 221 patients who are ready for discharge but cannot leave because appropriate care packages or placements are not yet in place.’ “This is the biggest challenge facing the new County Council. It is important to all the people who rely on social care services, but it is also essential for all of us who rely on NHS emergency services. The NHS cannot meet its own standards for emergency care until national and local government address the challenges in social care”.
WLD Takes to the Water for Canal Clean Up Project
The Worcester Liberal Democrats have took to the cities canals yesterday in a bid to protect the habitats of local wildlife as well as giving the area a much needed spruce as Summer fast approaches. Following hot on the heels of the hard work being put in by Councillor John Rudge in Offerton Lane and Corfe Avenue in Warndon Villages, the Worcester Lib Dems have formed the WLD Environmentalist Group. The group aims to highlight key areas of concern in and around Worcester and undertake real initiatives in order to preserve and assist the natural world to help it thrive. To officially launch this new action group, members today took to the canal between the Marina and Diglis in Kayaks in an attempt to clear the river and its banks of unwanted debris and rubbish which can pose issues to local wildlife, not to mention spoiling the natural beauty of the area. The paddlers which included Cllr Rudge were ably assisted by a team on the shore including Claines Councillors Karen Holmes and Mel Allcott as well as their friends and family. WLD member and organiser of the event, Hannah Webb said ‘We felt this was a really important thing to do to help protect and improve quality of life for the local wildlife as we have many families of birds on the canal to which litter is a danger. Its also such a beautiful walking path so will hope it will improve the views for the public. She also said ‘Its great to be able to combine an activity such as kayaking and also use it to help keep the area clean and safe. We are able to take care of the river and its wildlife and have an immense amount of fun in the process!!’ WLD Chairman Stuart Wild was also keen to stress that the WLD Environmentalist Group which he helped to create would be building on the success of this first event. He said ‘this effort was just the first step. ‘We hope to organise many future clear ups along multiple stretches. We know there are many good people in Worcester who care deeply about our rivers, waterways and wildlife who want to get involved. Our aims with this group are to enable that to happen and to really highlight areas of concern across the city. We also aim to carry out many more environmental projects in the near future. To that end we encourage people to contact their Lib Dem councillors and together we hope we can affect change were its needed as well as maintain areas to a high standard across the city.’
Stephen Dorrell calls out Nigel Farage and Reform
Former cabinet minister Stephen Dorrell has called out the Reform party and particularly Nigel Farage after the Reform leader visited Worcestershire recently and shared his thoughts on the area. The County Council candidate for Bedwardine said ‘Nigel Farage came to Worcestershire and did what he does best. He went to the pub and declared that “Worcestershire is broken”. ‘But he said precisely nothing about how he proposed to “fix it”. Dorrell continued, ‘Instead he stuck closely to lines approved by his friend Donald Trump. He talked about the salaries of local officials. He said spending on decarbonisation proves the Council has “failed local residents and he attacked spending on translation services.’ ‘These items together account for less than 0.2% of the County Council budget.’ He has nothing to say about the other 99.8%. In particular he says nothing about the crisis in social care Or the need to improve primary and community health services in the county. And it’s no good looking to Reform council candidates for guidance.They don’t know because they don’t turn up to the meetings! In conclusion Dorrell said ‘The Liberal Democrats don’t think it’s enough to parrot half-baked grievances. Politics should be about providing answers.’
Lib Dems hit back at Amos’s fear-mongering over teenage activity centre
Worcester Liberal Democrats have criticised Cllr Alan Amos for using “populist fear tactics” in his opposition to a proposed teenage activity centre on The Green near Weyburn Close in Lower Wick. Cllr Amos – who is now standing for Reform UK in the upcoming county council elections – has claimed the project will lead to anti-social behaviour and called the investment “a disaster nobody wants”. But Liberal Democrat councillors say this is just another example of exploiting unfounded fears for political gain, while offering no practical solutions. Cllr Mel Allcott, who sits on the Place and Economic Development Committee that approved funding for the scheme, said “The Worcester Play Plan is a carefully developed strategy, based on thorough research and community engagement. It highlights a clear lack of facilities for older children in areas like Lower Wick. Like any project of this nature, it is subject to ongoing consultation and the council is committed to engaging with local residents to ensure the final design meets the needs of the whole community. But what we can’t do is pretend the solution to concerns about anti-social behaviour is to do nothing and leave young people with nowhere to go.” Stephen Dorrell, former Conservative Health Secretary and the Liberal Democrat candidate standing against Amos in the Bedwardine division, also weighed in “Alan Amos’s Trump-style rhetoric is designed to inflame, not inform. It offers no serious proposals—just scare stories aimed at exploiting the fears of people he thinks might vote for him. We need to invest in young people, not vilify them. Facilities like this are exactly the kind of forward-looking, evidence-based initiatives local councils should be delivering.” The Worcester Play Plan, adopted by councillors last year, is a ten-year vision for improving outdoor play spaces across the city. It identifies key gaps in provision, particularly for older children, and aims to create inclusive spaces that reflect the needs of different communities. The proposed activity centre in Lower Wick is being funded through the Community Infrastructure Levy and is currently undergoing local consultation. Cllr Allcott added: “The council will continue to listen to residents throughout the process. This is about building a city that works for everyone – and that includes our young people. We need to create safe, positive spaces for them, not stoke panic about the worst-case scenario.”
Traffic Flow Improves at Junction 6 Following Lib Dem Campaign
Local Liberal Democrat campaigners are welcoming early signs of improvement at Junction 6 of the M5, following their successful call for a review of the traffic light sequences. In October 2024, the Lib Dem team raised serious concerns about long-standing congestion issues at Junction 6—particularly the difficulty for motorists exiting Berkeley Way onto the roundabout. Their campaign prompted National Highways to carry out a review, which confirmed the problem and led to a recent adjustment in signal timings. Sarah Murray, Liberal Democrat candidate for Warndon Villages, said ‘We raised this issue because residents were rightly fed up with the daily gridlock. National Highways listened, made a change—and we’re already seeing more cars able to exit Berkeley Way. This was one of my election priorities, and I’m pleased to see action. We’re monitoring the situation and want to hear from motorists. Is this change making a difference for you, or is further adjustment still needed?” Stuart Wild, Chair of Worcester Liberal Democrats and a local business owner, who first contacted National Highways, added “As someone who travels through Junction 6 daily, I knew just how frustrating the delays had become—not just for residents, but for local businesses too. I’m glad our concerns were taken seriously and that a practical solution is already having an effect.” Motorists can send their feedback to fixjunctionsix@gmail.com to help ensure the junction continues to be monitored and further improvements are considered if needed.
Helen Morgan MP Visits Worcester for Liberal Democrat Event
Helen Morgan MP visited Worcester on Saturday to speak at a packed Liberal Democrat event, addressing party members, councillors, and local activists on key national and local issues. In her speech, Helen highlighted the party’s strong support for Ukraine and the importance of Britain standing firm in its commitment to democracy and international cooperation. She also raised concerns about the rise of far-right extremism, warning of the dangers it poses to liberal values and social justice. The event brought together members from across Worcester to discuss the pressing challenges facing both the city and county. With public services under pressure after years of Conservative neglect, the Liberal Democrats emphasised the need for fresh leadership and a renewed focus on protecting vital local services. Stuart Wild, Chair of Worcester Liberal Democrats, said “Helen’s visit was a reminder of the importance of standing up for our communities. From crumbling local services to the cost-of-living crisis, there is so much work to do after years of Conservative mismanagement.” Cllr Sarah Murray added “It was fantastic to see so many members and supporters come together for such a positive evening. Events like this remind us why we campaign—to build a stronger, fairer society. Whether someone has been a lifelong Liberal Democrat or has just joined, everyone plays a part in making a difference. The sense of energy and optimism in the room was infectious, and I know this momentum will carry us into a strong local election campaign.” The event comes as concerns grow over service cuts and mounting frustration with the Conservative-run county and city councils. Worcester Liberal Democrats continue to push for action on key issues including housing, social care, and environmental protection.
WLD Reacts as County Elections set to Go Ahead
The Worcester Liberal Democrats have today reacted with delight to news that the Worcestershire County Council local elections will be going ahead as scheduled on May 1st 2025. This was despite the Council leaders efforts to postpone the election after the Government announced plans to change the structures of Councils across the UK in a white paper. The Conservative leaders applied to have the scheduled May elections postponed, despite not consulting fellow councillors or the public about such a move. Many saw the attempts by the council leaders as nothing more than an attempt to hold on to their positions after the Conservatives disastrous results in the General Election in 2024. However despite this it was announced earlier today (5th Feb) that those efforts had failed as Deputy PM Angela Rayner announced that Worcestershire had not been included in a shortlist of six selected for fast-track devolution. Reacting to the news, the Worcester Liberal Democrats have thanked residents who made their voices heard in calling for the elections to go ahead and to those who supported the party’s petition. Councillor Mel Allcott, County Councillor for Claines commented “The Lib Dems are extremely pleased that this attempt by the Councils leaders to postpone the democratic rights of the voters in Worcestershire has failed. ‘It was inconceivable that the public could not have a say in whether these elections were postponed or not. No elected officials should ever try to speak for their constituents without receiving the mandate to do so first. Its the bedrock of Democracy and we heard from so many people who were outraged that their democratic rights were being ignored after we highlighted this attempt with our petition. Fortunately their attempt has not succeeded as the government has seen through their attempt, and we are glad that the voters in Worcestershire will get their say on May 1st.’ City Councillor Sarah Murray, who is standing in Warndon Parish in the County elections added “I’m delighted that attempts to halt the elections have failed. ‘Its been one mess after another with the Conservatives in the council, not just their attempts to delay the election without a consultation, but also with their inter party civil wars and Councillor Bayliss’ crude comments over the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves. We are extremely happy that residents will have the opportunity in May to hold them to account.’
