Luton council leader calls for a united front to tackle "challenging times" ahead in aftermath of Vauxhall closure

The leader of Luton Borough Council is calling for a united approach to help the town prosper in “challenging times”, a meeting heard.

Presenting her annual report, Labour Lewsey councillor Hazel Simmons told a full council meeting: “Across the country we see continued challenges, with rising costs, economic uncertainty and struggles which too many families still face daily.

“Luton is no exception,” she explained. “Inflation and high interest rates have left scars, with households forced to make impossible choices just to stay afloat.

“We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to kick-starting economic growth, one of the most important steps being the expansion of London Luton Airport.

“It’s a project which will bring 11,000 new jobs, inject £1.5bn into our economy and support vital community causes, with an extra £13m a year by the mid-2040s.

“We must acknowledge the blows suffered, as we plan for a prosperous future. The closure of the Vauxhall plant by Stellantis is nothing short of devastation. Vauxhall has been at the heart and soul of our town for decades.

“We fought hard alongside the union and our MPs to save the jobs. Workable proposals were put forward to Stellantis, but it wasn’t interested. A government-led task force is expected to examine the immediate work which needs doing for Luton.

“Despite our challenges, we’re making a difference and the number of people living in destitution has dropped from 12.1 per cent to 9.9 per cent of households since 2023. Child poverty is down by 5.5 per cent. The creation of the family hub network, with two hubs and more than 20 outreach sites, has provided vital community support.

“There’s evidence of Luton 2040 successes in the voluntary sector, where we stand as the second most generous town in the country. When people struggle to put food on the table, to keep warm and to make ends meet, our community steps up.

“This council will continue to champion those efforts,” she added. “We’re committed to ensuring people claim the benefits to which they’re entitled and to making support services as accessible as possible.

“But housing remains a crisis, with more families than ever seeking support. We need fair funding because Luton receives the second lowest per person financing in the country. This is unacceptable and we’ll continue to lobby to get what the town is due.

“Unfortunately, we’ve had to raise council tax to the maximum level allowable without a referendum because of underfunding and increasing service demand. This will help us protect vital services, particularly adult care and children’s.

“Luton is a town with ambition, heart and determination. We’ve seen tough times before and we’ve always fought back. I ask you to stand with our workers, our businesses, our families and our future.”

Deputy mayor and Labour Beech Hill councillor Javed Hussain addressed knife crime, saying: “One instance is too many.

“We’ve handled a multi-agency summit to tackle this issue head on. We’ll continue working with Bedfordshire Police, community groups and young people to stop this scourge.

“The town centre remains a priority for us all. A public space protection order is in place to help tackles the causes, such as littering, street drinking and anti-social behaviour.”