Ukraine support, budget setting and Jubilee plans

Ukraine support, budget setting and Jubilee plans

In recent weeks we have all been appalled by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Wigan Council, along with all other local authorities in the UK, has moved swiftly to show our solidarity with those affected.

You may have noticed that Leigh Town Hall has been lit up in the evenings and spotted that the Ukrainian flag is flying across the borough.

Although these gestures are important, we are also aware that more tangible support is required and at a local level councils will be preparing to support refugees.

Our borough has a longstanding and proud tradition of offering this kind of humanitarian support, demonstrated recently by the help provided to families arriving from Afghanistan, and we will continue to do so.

It is clear though that central government needs to step up to make sure that they in turn provide adequate support for local authorities.

In the meantime, an information page: Ukraine - How you can help - has been set up on the council’s website so that residents who would like to donate or support can be signposted to the correct organisations.

Now that spring is on the horizon, we have started to turn our attention to the borough’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations later in the year.

The council will be hosting several celebratory events over the long weekend and we know many of our borough community organisations are organising their own, also.

We will also be supporting households and resident groups so that they can have their own celebrations, with more details to be revealed over the coming weeks.

Earlier this month the council’s financial plan for the next 12 months was approved. It includes further pledges to provide career opportunities, funding for grass-roots community groups plus key investment for affordable housing and social care.

Although we have had to make the difficult decision to raise council tax, along with the adult social care national precept, our residents continue to pay the lowest tax bills in the North West and the lowest for a metropolitan borough in the UK.

Free town centre weekend parking in Wigan and Leigh has also been extended for another year.

At the budget setting meeting, it was also our great pleasure to announce the two next recipients of a Believe Star.

I’m sure many of you will be aware of the work of Joining Jack and Joseph’s Goal over the last decade.

Both charities have become known across the world and we feel it is only fitting to mark their contribution to the charity sector with this honour later in 2022.