SPD local council elects a newly appointed leadership body
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the SPD Local Branch Sterkrade-Süd took place in February 2023, with several important discussions and decisions made. Frederick Cordes, a member of the local branch and state parliamentarian, served as the guest speaker, reporting on his work in the Düsseldorf state parliament.
Cordes focused on work and economy, criticizing the chaotic budget planning of the state government and the insufficient expansion of renewable energies. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining NRW as an industrial location and called for strong political support for the development of hydrogen infrastructure.
One of the key issues discussed during the meeting was the tense budget of the city of Oberhausen. Cordes called for a final solution to the problem of old debts, suggesting that the federal government has already promised financial participation for the solution of old debts, but the state government is still playing for time.
In terms of education, Cordes identified a major challenge as a skills shortage of 366,000 workers in NRW. To address this issue, he proposed strengthening vocational training and continuous education programs. He suggested expanding apprenticeships and fostering closer collaboration between schools, universities, and local industries to better align educational outcomes with labor market needs.
Cordes also called for increased funding in local schools and educational infrastructure to improve teaching quality and accessibility. He suggested investing in modern digital tools and learning environments to ensure students are well-prepared for the demands of the modern workforce.
Regarding the energy transition, Cordes advocated for accelerating the shift to renewable energy sources within the community. He proposed local initiatives to support green technologies, such as solar and wind projects, and encouraged policies that promote energy efficiency and sustainable development at the municipal level.
In addition to Cordes' speeches, the meeting saw the election of new officers for the local branch. Dr. Jörg Schröer was elected as the new chairman, with Jutta Bach and Manuel Prohl elected as deputy chairpersons. Christin Becker was elected as the new treasurer, replacing Andreas Geßner, while Ruth Wiech retained her position as secretary.
Nine deputies were also elected, including Elia Albrecht-Mainz, Susanne Cordes, Frank Endemann, Manfred Grobin, Simon Gerrit Hewing, Jannik Hohmann, Anja Schröer, Tim Tzscheppan, and Wolfgang Tzscheppan. Tim Tzscheppan and Wolfgang Tzscheppan gave comprehensive reports on behalf of the Juso AG and the AG 60+, respectively.
The meeting also saw elections for delegates and alternate delegates to the district party conferences in 2023 and the district delegates' conference for the European elections in 2024. Cordes also called for the strict enforcement of a school-based social index and the establishment of an inquiry commission.
Moreover, Cordes proposed the creation of a 30 million transformation fund for energy transition and suggested expanding the concept of Innovation Cities to include additional urban areas. In comparison to other federal states, NRW invests 7,500 euros per student annually, while Berlin invests 12,300 euros. Cordes called for increased educational investments to bridge this gap.
These proposals reflect Cordes’ commitment to sustainable growth, social equity, and economic resilience through targeted investments in education and clean energy. The decisions made at the AGM are expected to guide the work of the SPD Local Branch Sterkrade-Süd in the coming year.
Policy-and-legislation for accelerating the energy transition was a focus during the meeting, with Cordes advocating for local initiatives to support green technologies and policies that promote energy efficiency and sustainable development.
The discussions on education stressed the need for stronger political support, including the provision of increased funding in local schools, expanding apprenticeships, and fostering closer collaboration between schools, universities, and local industries. This reflects Cordes' commitment to addressing the skills shortage of 366,000 workers in NRW and ensuring students are well-prepared for the modern workforce.
