Mr Mayor
As at the January meeting of the Council, there is a lengthy agenda tonight, with a number of complex budget and other financial issues for us to determine. Thankfully, these have been set out thoroughly and clearly in the papers before us, so there should be little doubt about the detail, the strategy and the positive future direction of the Council, its services and financial base. However, I do acknowledge that there will be inevitable political debate on these matters, some of which I expect will be robust; although I expect also that there will be much on which we can and will agree.
Since the last meeting of the Council, the Executive has agreed the reductions in the car parking charges for the town centre, which I announced at the January meeting, and these have been very well received by the Town Centre Partnership on behalf of local businesses.
I can tell you also that the Town Centre vacant unit rate, announced at the partnership meeting on 4 February, now stands at its lowest rate for over five years, at 11.15%. This is significantly below the national rate of 14.25%. We are seeing also an increase, described as ‘dramatic’ by the BID Manager, in the number of independent businesses opening in secondary retail locations throughout the town centre.
I am pleased to report also that Greggs, the bakers, have confirmed their commitment to developing a major food production plant on the Sketchley Brook site, which is being developed by Goodmans. This will create up to 300 jobs for the local area. Subject to planning permission, it is expected that the plant could be operational within eighteen months.
Taken together, Mr Mayor, these give a powerful message of hope to the town, contrary to that given by those who seek to peddle doom and gloom and write letters which many local people find extremely insulting. The reality is quite different and I am pleased that this Council, in collaboration with our partners, is able to make that reality happen, as recognised by the Deputy Prime Minister on his recent visit to the town to discuss these very issues with local business people.
The Executive has given its support also for ‘signing up’ to climate Local, a refreshed version of the Nottingham declaration on Climate Change, which the council signed in 2004 and reaffirmed in 2006. Our subsequent Climate change Strategy and Action Plan was adopted in April 2009 and a refreshed version (2011 – 14) has now been implemented. By signing Climate Local, the Council is declaring its ongoing commitment to reducing carbon emissions and responding to changes in the climate within our own operations, services and the local community. The Executive was happy to give those commitments and a Climate Local Action Plan is under development.
The Council continues to play its part on the national stage. The District Councils’ Network last week launched ‘Districts’ Action on Public Health’, which highlights the contributions District Councils make to public health improvements locally. Examples of good practice and successful initiatives from Hinckley and Bosworth were prominent in that publication, thanks to the efforts of Simon Jones and his team, supported by Cllr David Bill, our Member Lead on Partnership matters.
In addition, as part of their work on the impending Spending Review for 2015/16, officers from DCLG will be visiting the Council during March to see what we are doing in relation to economic development (Atkins Building, MIRA, Enterprise Zone and the cross border work on skills development) and our collaborative working on the Hub concept. That this Council is recognised as being able to make a valuable contribution is testament to the standing in which we are now held.
Finally, the Deputy Prime Minister announced on Monday evening that all 20 City Deal submissions had been approved to move forward to the negotiation stage. The objectives and benefits of City Deals were set out for Members at the last meeting of the Council, so I need not repeat them now. Suffice to say that the Borough Council remains very much involved (I think uniquely) in two adjacent City Deals, through David Bill and me, as well as Steve Atkinson and Bill Cullen, and that we will continue to support both ‘Deals’ in order to secure the maximum benefits for our businesses and taxpayers over the next few years.
Mr Mayor, I commend this Position Statement to the Council.
Minutes:
In his position statement, the Leader referred to the Executive’s recent agreement to reduce car parking charges in Hinckley Town Centre, the commitment of Greggs to developing a major food production plant in the borough, and signing up to ‘Climate Local’.