Quote:
Originally Posted by BERNADETTE
Why not try investing some money in the town centre before it disappears for good, rather than chasing some hair brained development along the canal? As leaders of the council Labour are beconming a laughing stock, quite ready to dog the Conservatives when they were in power but doing beggar all to sort the problems of the failing town centre out.
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I'm sure Clare Pritchard would be grateful to hear those words of encouragement.
The local press used to be the starting point for many debates on this forum and yet these days no one seems to pick up on anything before commenting. Clare and her team have been working tirelessly to get people in to the town centre by holding endless talks with the owners of the Arndale Centre for better rates. The new bus station is on the way, there will be more car parking spaces by the market, the flags in front of the market is being turned into an open-air market once again and there are modifications coming to the town hall to turn it into a proper venue for weddings and conferences.
The canal project was my idea because at the moment most of the old mills are demolished and the sites are vacant. It is pointless waiting until they're built on before thinking about how they should be built on. Common sense really, we either take the reins and get what's best for us or let the developers have it their way for maximum profits. Bungalows, shops, bars, things which there is a need for in the area. It's either that or poxy shoebox houses and flats, which would you choose?
I've never said that we're flawless but I venture that we're a damn sight better than our predecessors and I'm pleased to say that I don't get comments about being a laughing stock in Rishton, quite the reverse. We're seen more than previous Councillors used to be, it isn't just one man pulling all the strings and my residents are at least aware of what is going on in the village now.
Since May 2011 we have addressed problems in every single ward, not appearing to prioritise just the one the Leader of the Council happens to live in.
If you'd rather go back to that then you've got an annual vote.