In this the last column of 2013 I would like to reflect on the last three months since becoming Leader of Crawley Council.
I have commented on improvements made by the Council. These included the Broadfield Barton Regeneration Project with approximately half a million pounds worth of investment. The Council has contributed around £350,000 and local businesses including Morrisons, Iceland and Superdrug, along with FT Johns which owns many of the smaller shops on the parade, making contributions to the scheme.
I also reported on the planned restoration of Worth Park to its former Victorian glory with the Council using the £2.42m funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project is now one year into the five-year restoration scheme and involves work in five areas including Worth Park Lake and dam, the formal gardens, Ridley’s Court, leisure use and a discovery trail.
I was pleased to outline the proposed improvements to the Ifield West Neighbourhood. Following public consultation where more than 400 residents gave their views on how their neighbourhood could be improved, the Council has allocated £310.000 to fund 8 improvements in Ifield West which should be completed by Spring 2014.
I reported that the Council agreed to apply for Living Wage accreditation at its meeting on the 4th December.
Crawley will be the 22nd local authority to be accredited and only the 13th outside London. Additionally Crawley Council will be the first Conservative controlled Authority to sign up to the scheme. The Council feels that by paying the living wage this results in higher staff morale, improves staff retention, and reduces benefit claims with more money being spent in the local economy.
The Cabinet in December also approved the new capital programme of £785,000 for children’s play facilities from 2014 to 2017.
This includes major investments and improvements in every neighbourhood as well as in the Adventure Playgrounds. The aim is to encourage children to get out of doors, be more physically active in a safe environment, using modern equipment to increase their levels of fitness and health
Additionally the Council meeting in December agreed that more than 530 council homes should be built in Crawley’s new neighbourhood called Forge Wood the North East Sector of Crawley. The homes will be built over four phases, d beginning next year built by the neighbourhood’s developer partners, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes.
This provision will make a real difference to those in need of homes on the town’s housing register.
It has been a busy year for the Council but we look forward to a successful 2014 maintaining high quality, value for money local services. I wish all residents of Crawley a Happy New Year.