Cllr Matthew Dormer is the Leader of the Conservative Group on Redditch Borough Council.
When I was Leader of Redditch Borough Council from 2018 until 2024, I made it my mission to prove that local government can deliver real change. In those six years, we secured over £20 million of government investment – the most in Redditch’s history. That funding backed regeneration, improved infrastructure, and supported jobs. It showed that when Conservatives are in charge, we don’t just talk about levelling up – we make it happen.
Since then, Redditch Conservatives have moved into opposition. Of course, it’s always frustrating to watch Labour run the council, but our group has been clear: opposition is not about shouting from the sidelines, it’s about holding power to account and offering a better way forward. Week in, week out, my team and I are working hard to expose waste, challenge weak decisions, and show residents that we are the only party with a serious plan for Redditch.
That plan builds on my own journey. I’m not a career politician. I’ve worked on building sites and factory floors, built up a group of local businesses, and spent 28 years as a retained firefighter at Redditch Fire Station, rising to Watch Commander. I know what it means to graft, to lead in tough situations, and to deliver results. Politics, to me, is about service – making sure families like mine, with children and now a grandson, have the best possible future here in our town.
Looking ahead, our ambitions for Redditch are simple but vital: growth, opportunity, and pride in our town.
We want Redditch to be a place where young people don’t feel they have to move away to succeed, where businesses have the confidence to invest and expand, and where families can access the homes and services they need. That means continuing to push for regeneration in the town centre, improving transport connections, and supporting skills development so local people can fill the jobs that investment creates.
As someone who has built and run businesses, I know the challenges employers face. That’s why Conservatives in Redditch are determined to make the council an enabler, not an obstacle, for enterprise. Whether it’s planning decisions, local procurement, or backing apprenticeships, our approach is always practical: how do we help businesses grow and create more good jobs?
It also means being ambitious about housing. Young people in Redditch – like my own daughters – deserve a fair shot at owning their first home. That’s why I’ve been contributing to national Conservative policy discussions with fresh ideas: reforming Inheritance Tax so families can pass on what they’ve built, and introducing a mezzanine tax to rebalance fairness in the system. These ideas are rooted in the same principle that guides my local politics: opportunity and fairness.
Finally, we need to restore pride in Redditch. Residents want their council to focus on the basics – cleaner streets, safer communities, and value for money. We’ve shown before that Conservatives can deliver record investment. With the right focus, we can do it again – and more.
Of course, next year’s local elections won’t be easy. Voters are frustrated, and we know the national picture is challenging. But I’ve always believed that you don’t win people’s trust by making excuses – you win it by showing you can deliver. That’s what we did in power, and that’s what we’re offering again.
The truth is, Redditch is a town that reflects the wider country. It’s a place of hard-working families, small businesses, and people who simply want a fair chance to get on. When Conservatives listen to those people and focus on their priorities – jobs, homes, safer streets, value for money – we win. When we get distracted, we don’t.
That’s why Redditch Conservatives are focused on the future. We have the record of securing unprecedented investment, the ambition to build on it, and the credibility that comes from real experience. I’ve been the forklift driver, the firefighter, the businessman, and the council leader. I know the pressures ordinary people face, and I know how to turn Conservative principles into practical results.
My ambition has always been to serve Redditch — first as a firefighter, then as a business owner, then as council leader. Who knows where that journey of service may take me in the future?
Our prospects here are better than some might think, because people remember that when we were in charge, things got done. If we can show once again that we are the party of delivery, fairness, and opportunity, I believe not only can we win in Redditch – but we can help show the path for the Conservative Party nationally.
