The Labour leader of City of York Council has said she is under no illusions that funding taps will be immediately turned on as her party takes charge in Westminster.
Cllr Claire Douglas said the authority would have to join the queue with other public services following Labour’s victory.
But she added the prospect of a Labour government working with a combined authority, council and MPs all of the same party presented unprecedented opportunities for the city.
Speaking after the results had been declared, Cllr Douglas said her administration was already in a position to implement some Labour pledges locally, including free school breakfast clubs.
Labour pledges to end competitive bidding for local authorities and to establish multi-year funding settlements would help the council.
But it still had to face realities. “We’re under no illusions that there are many aspects of the country that will need financial support to turn them around,” Cllr Douglas said.
“The NHS and education are in dire need of investment, we’re going to have to get in that queue as local authorities, but in the longer term funding stability and investment in public services will start to take the pressure off of us.
“Given our funding position in York we need to try and bring in as much as we possibly can.
“We also want to see the supply of affordable homes increase as rapidly as possible. York sits in a unique position because our local plan is about to be approved and we’ve earmarked a large supply of land for housing.
“The people of York support getting the cost of housing and renting down but we need the infrastrucutre to go along with new homes.
“Commitments in the Labour manifesto to improve the availability of dentists will also be beneficial for the health of people in York.”
Time for ‘green growth’
York and North Yorkshire’s Labour Mayor David Skaith said the new government presented an opportunity to put the area in a leadership position to drive economic growth.
He wants to position York and North Yorkshire as a “powerful test bed” to address nationally significant issues now that Labour were in government.
The mayor said: “Our strengths position York and North Yorkshire to create solutions for some of the world’s biggest challenges, of food insecurity and sustainable energy generation.
“By driving green growth, we can create wealth and tackle inequality in our rural and coastal communities.
“The housing crisis in York and North Yorkshire is one of my biggest priorities. I will work to ensure that in meeting our own significant need for affordable homes, we make a significant contribution to national housing targets.
“It’s time to shift the dial for rural economies and position York and North Yorkshire alongside our more industrial neighbours.
“We’re not in competition, we complete the picture.”