New council's plans aim to address town's top problems
Monday, 8th August 2011.
The new leadership on Haverhill Town Council has put forward a strategy for its upcoming four-year term which aims to address four crucial issues - employment and prosperity, education, quality of life and protection of valued services.
The ten-point plan includes such varied ideas as buying up high street property to push down shop rents and promoting the formation of a youth council.
The council has been holding a series of open-air meetings across the town at which residents have been able to speak to councillors about their concerns.
Many issues raised have been the responsibility of county or borough councils, such as roads, street lighting, etc, where the town council can only help to pressure the relevant authority for action.
But town clerk Gordon Mussett said at every meeting residents had asked for better shops in the town centre.
Mr Mussett said: "We can't go to companies and get them to open shops in the town, but we know that New Look left because of the market rent.
"The two shops next to us at the Arts Centre have seen businesses struggle and people will continue to struggle to make any money there with the rents at the cirrent level.
"At the other end of town, in Queen Street, properties go quickly.Peoplemay still struggle there, but others are quick to take them up because the rents are right.
"So the intention is to force down market rents in the town centre. The town council can borrow up to £0.5million each year, over a 40-year period, which brings down the repayment rate and would mean that a lower rental could be charged.
"We can't change the rateable value, but that is based on rental achievability, so it could have an effect."
Mr Mussett said most of the ten-point plan was made up of intentions which could be realised quite simply, because they involved working with other agencies.
The ten points are:
1 To promote the formation of a Youth Town Council to give young residents a voice and to encourage them to participate in activities and their organisation.
2 To actively campaign to keep Place Court as a public service provider of care.
3 To press Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service to resume 24/7 cover at Haverhill Fire Station, and to work with the Safer Neighbourhood Team to maintain the existing level of policing.
4 To work with all authorities to ensure Haverhill will provide a service centre for the Town and surrounding communities in the provision of local services.
5 To protect existing provision for school transport for all Haverhill students, to explore alternative funding for provision which is not preserved and to ensure that transport provision does not undermine sixth form provision within Haverhill.
6 To work with the planning authority and potential developers to promote new businesses setting up in in Haverhill with due regard to preserving and improving the thriving town centre shopping facilities.
7 To pursue options to purchase property in the High Street to encourage new business and invest income derived in Haverhill development.
8 To actively promote the Town Centre with a focus on attracting new businesses to the Town Centre and retaining existing providers.
9 To pursue an active role in promoting the development of the Gurteen site to provide a mix of business units, cultural facilities and residential units whilst providing for the retention of the steam engine.
10 To support local organisations who promote the Town through their activities or support the social wellbeing of the Town community.
The plan was brought forward by the ruling Labour group at the council's meeting recently, but the Conservatives have asked for more time to consider their response, so it will come up again at the next meeting in September.
The ten-point plan includes such varied ideas as buying up high street property to push down shop rents and promoting the formation of a youth council.
The council has been holding a series of open-air meetings across the town at which residents have been able to speak to councillors about their concerns.
Many issues raised have been the responsibility of county or borough councils, such as roads, street lighting, etc, where the town council can only help to pressure the relevant authority for action.
But town clerk Gordon Mussett said at every meeting residents had asked for better shops in the town centre.
Mr Mussett said: "We can't go to companies and get them to open shops in the town, but we know that New Look left because of the market rent.
"The two shops next to us at the Arts Centre have seen businesses struggle and people will continue to struggle to make any money there with the rents at the cirrent level.
"At the other end of town, in Queen Street, properties go quickly.Peoplemay still struggle there, but others are quick to take them up because the rents are right.
"So the intention is to force down market rents in the town centre. The town council can borrow up to £0.5million each year, over a 40-year period, which brings down the repayment rate and would mean that a lower rental could be charged.
"We can't change the rateable value, but that is based on rental achievability, so it could have an effect."
Mr Mussett said most of the ten-point plan was made up of intentions which could be realised quite simply, because they involved working with other agencies.
The ten points are:
1 To promote the formation of a Youth Town Council to give young residents a voice and to encourage them to participate in activities and their organisation.
2 To actively campaign to keep Place Court as a public service provider of care.
3 To press Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service to resume 24/7 cover at Haverhill Fire Station, and to work with the Safer Neighbourhood Team to maintain the existing level of policing.
4 To work with all authorities to ensure Haverhill will provide a service centre for the Town and surrounding communities in the provision of local services.
5 To protect existing provision for school transport for all Haverhill students, to explore alternative funding for provision which is not preserved and to ensure that transport provision does not undermine sixth form provision within Haverhill.
6 To work with the planning authority and potential developers to promote new businesses setting up in in Haverhill with due regard to preserving and improving the thriving town centre shopping facilities.
7 To pursue options to purchase property in the High Street to encourage new business and invest income derived in Haverhill development.
8 To actively promote the Town Centre with a focus on attracting new businesses to the Town Centre and retaining existing providers.
9 To pursue an active role in promoting the development of the Gurteen site to provide a mix of business units, cultural facilities and residential units whilst providing for the retention of the steam engine.
10 To support local organisations who promote the Town through their activities or support the social wellbeing of the Town community.
The plan was brought forward by the ruling Labour group at the council's meeting recently, but the Conservatives have asked for more time to consider their response, so it will come up again at the next meeting in September.
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