The Leader's Column

The Leader's Column

Welcome to my first online column.

Borough Life readers should be familiar with my magazine column by now, but I wanted to provide more regular updates to ensure you are kept up to date about the decisions being made on your behalf.

Speaking of Borough Life, the summer edition is being distributed to households across the borough as we speak, if you don’t receive a copy please email the team at boroughlife@wigan.gov.uk. You can also view the Borough Life summer edition online.

This edition celebrates the new food and drink establishments opening across the borough. As the portfolio holder for economy I’m delighted to see the number of businesses thriving in the borough. It’s my job to ensure we’re making decisions that support our current and future businesses and to help create employment opportunities for local people.

It’s certainly a very busy portfolio at the moment with the big developments taking place, including the Pier redevelopment and Wigan town centre regeneration work. We’re hoping to announce some exciting news regarding the Galleries shopping centre very soon. I’ll share more with you in my next column.

Earlier this week we were informed that we are among one of 50 areas to be invited to the second phase of the £675 million Future High Streets Fund, which if successful could see up to £25 million invested into Wigan town centre.

Ensuring our towns are attractive places to live and visit is a key priority for us and you. During the Big Listening Project we spoke to more than 6,000 residents and received more than 10,000 ideas. These ideas have shaped the Deal 2030 – our strategy for the borough.

One of the things that came out loud and clear from so many of you was just how proud you are of this borough. From the feedback it was clear that you want to live in an area you can be proud of.

Our environment teams work hard to ensure our streets are clean, in fact you may be surprised to hear that we spend £4 million a year on cleaning up litter, fly tipping and fly posting. To put that figure into context that could pay for a new school or two new nursing homes each year. Keeping our streets clean and tidy is everyone’s responsibility so please make sure you look after your area.

Later this month we’ll be launching a campaign to celebrate our towns. The Our Town campaign aims to build on the strong sense of community and pride that exists in the borough by bringing people together to share their stories and to celebrate our borough, its heritage, beauty and the people that make it great.

Finally, I’d like to congratulate all those children and their families who received their Key Stage 2 results this week.

I hope you all have an enjoyable summer and if you’re stuck for ideas for days out, check out the what’s on page in Borough Life.

Councillor David Molyneux,

Leader of Wigan Council