Who are you, what’s your involvement with A&B and which party do you stand for?
My name is Jon-Connor Lyons and I am a Labour Councillor in Piccadilly Ward, which neighbours Ancoats and Beswick Ward. I also live a stones-throw away from Ancoats in Angel Meadow, in Piccadilly Ward itself.
What are your view on what should be done with former CRP? Where does a proper park fit into that and what would it bring to local people?
I’ve long campaigned and advocated for more and better green spaces and parks here in the city centre. I live in the city centre and know how important having parks and green spaces is for people’s wellbeing, as well as biodiversity and cleaner air. When the Council’s application to turn Central Retail Park into a temporary car park came before the Planning Committee in 2019, I advocated for it to be a green space instead, and because I was a member of the Planning Committee, voted against the unamended application, which was eventually overturned anyway thanks to the Trees Not Cars. I have since advocated for plans to include a sizeable green space that matches the needs and aspirations of the people in the city centre, as well as Ancoats, and have met with Trees Not Cars and the new Leadership of the Council to see plans change for the better.
I was a member of the Planning Committee in 2019 when I voted against the application for a temporary car park on Central Retail Park and since I have become the Chair of that committee. I have to, with all applications, remain open and undetermined prior to applications going before the committee, if I am to vote on applications and have an active voice during the determination. Therefore, whilst I cannot pre-determine myself – or lose my voice during the determination – my ambitions for more and better green spaces and parks in and around the city centre remain the same and I will always advocate and fight for that.
What have you achieved since election? What are your priorities for the next year?
I’m really proud to have served Angel Meadow, New Cross, the Northern Quarter, the Gay Village, Granby Village, Piccadilly East and Piccadilly Basin. Every day I’ve been fighting for my residents, be it lobbying for more green spaces like our new 6.5 acre Mayfield park, fighting for and winning the extra £2.3 Million for city centre street cleaning, establishing the Gay Village review to protect our Gay Village, securing new investment to combat ASB and crime in Piccadilly Gardens through Greater Manchester Police’s Operation Vulcan, and demanding a fairer deal from developers, which has finally resulted in affordable housing being delivered in the city centre, alongside a new city centre primary school and GP. We cannot afford to lose pace. With your help, we can continue the fight for our city centre, making it the best it can be.
If I’m re-elected as a local Labour Councillor for Piccadilly, I’ll do the following things:
1. Fight for more green spaces and investment in our existing parks.
2. Deliver even more affordable housing in the city centre.
3. Call for more resources to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
4. Build on the extra funding we secured to this year to clean up our city centre.
5. Be an independent voice, fighting for you and our communities.
Manchester’s budget has been cut by around £450 Million a year by consecutive Conservative Governments and the Lib-Dem and Conservative Government. I will be putting my all into getting a Labour Government and advocating for a fairer system where local Council’s don’t depend on the Government-of-the-day to fund essential services, but where our communities here locally are trusted to make decisions for themselves. I’m proud to have, over many years, built up strong relationships with Shadow Cabinet Ministers and Shadow Secretary’s of State. if Labour are lucky enough to be elected into Government, I will do everything I can to advocate for not just our city, but for system change, alongside our new Manchester Labour Leader Bev Craig, Mayor Andy Burnham and local Labour MP’s including Lucy Powell. I firmly believe Manchester deserves better and we must not be held back by a national Government, but trusted locally to lead.
You can watch my recent campaign video about the work I’ve done and my priorities for the next 4 years ahead here: