Council roadshow to consult residents on spending plans
Telford & Wrekin Council is hitting the road – consulting with residents about its spending plans during a three week tour of the borough.
The council’s 2015 public roadshow will be led by Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Finance and Enterprise, Councillor Bill McClements.
The public feedback gained from meeting a wide range of local groups and forums and from 10 public consultation events in the coming weeks will be reported back to Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet meeting on February 26 before the proposals go to Full Council on March 5.
They include plans to freeze the council tax for the third year in a row.
Good financial management and forward planning means the council has already made most of the savings it must find by 2016.
This allows the council to propose investing in a range of new initiatives which will support its drive to help create jobs and investment in the borough’s economy.
The initiatives include:
- A £1m fund to boost high streets and the borough’s district centres to help attract more visitors and businesses
- An additional £250,000 to support events to help attract more visitors to the borough and promote it as a destination
- Almost £4m to help roll out superfast broadband to parts of the borough where there is no broadband infrastructure
- A further £650,000 for youth unemployment initiatives
- £6 million (over 3 years) to maintain and improve our roads
- £1m to run the Community Pride Fund again in 2017/18
- £750,000 (over 2 years) to address residents’ key environmental issues
- £650,000 to support regeneration in St George’s including funding to help refurbish the former youth centre in Gower Street
- Free swimming for residents over 50 at council pools until 2020
- £270,000 to support the council’s initiative with Just Credit Union to offer an ethical alternative to pay day lenders and support for the local food bank
The roadshow will also be asking for people’s views on council priorities and highlighting simple ways that people can help the council save money.
Councillor McClements said: “We are keen to get out and about across the borough to let people know what we are planning to do, including promoting Telford and Wrekin as a great place to live, work and visit and for businesses to invest in.
“We are also keen to protect and build on our reputation as a green town and to invest in High Streets and local centres.
“I look forward to meeting local residents and hearing their thought on our plans and getting their ideas on what else we can do going forward."
More information including roadshow dates can be found at http://www.telford.gov.uk/info/20262/the_councils_budget/636/budget_roadshow
