District Matters

Local elections

May 2021

It has been an interesting time since my last Leader's Column. We have had elections and, on a personal note, I have had a hip replaced. One of the key features on being out of action for a few weeks is that it demonstrates the critical importance of having a good team. This applies to both officers and my Cabinet colleagues. Over the past two years we really have built up a good team spirit and a very effective way of working together. This delivers real benefits when we hit crises, as we did with Covid-19, or when someone is out of action for a few weeks due to illness.

I am not going to say anything about the local election results. I do, however, want to point out the amount of effort the District Council had to put in to running the elections in the context of the Covid pandemic. Planning started months before the election. All polling stations had to be made as secure as possible from transmission. Some polling stations previously used could not be adapted and therefore could not be used. The election and count required over 500 staff (520 in total), 65 additional members of staff were employed to assist with social distancing measures at all of the larger polling stations, which was an additional requirement to usual. The fact that they will run smoothly is taken for granted. To the vast majority of people, the planning and effort is invisible.

I now need to look at the challenges facing us as a District. Far and away the main one is going to be economic recovery and regeneration. It is worth remembering that we were considered to be the fourth hardest hit local authority area in the country, and the worst hit in the West Midlands. The local data appear to bear this out. Last year, at the peak of the pandemic's impact, over 40% of our working population was either unemployed, on furlough or on self-employment income support scheme. In February/ March this year the proportion of our working population needing government support was still over 30%.

People question why we are not seeking government funding for investment in our town. This is not, however, quite as straightforward as people may believe. There are criteria to be met and the government's bidding process is competitive. In other words, there is a lot of preparatory work to be done, that has been underway for some time. What we also need to do is build support for our submission when it is made. Initial work on this started months ago. As the case for our submission is assembled, this will move to a whole new level and it will be one of my priorities over the next few weeks.

The Riverside Project was original driven and supported by the CWLEP. It is intended to improve access to open space and Stratford's river frontage and to add to the footfall to the town from residents and visitors, thereby adding to the town centre level of activity.

When lockdown was relaxed last year, we saw that people flocked to the open spaces of the recreation ground and Bancroft Gardens. Part of the intention of the Riverside Project is to capitalise on this. For many people it appears easy to forget that tourism brings about £500 million a year into the District (2019 estimates) and supports some 9,000 local jobs. Without tourists we would not have the range of shops, restaurants and facilities that we all enjoy. Indeed the £1.5 million grant we got from CWLEP will benefit both tourists and residents. We need the recovery to enable the more than 30% of the District's residents on government support schemes to return to work. I know people on furlough who are increasingly apprehensive about the future.

As we are entrusted with the leadership of the District, we have a responsibility to ALL residents, which very definitely includes the 30%.

We have listened to feedback and have made significant changes to the proposals for the Riverside Project as a result. We are seeking to balance the economic regeneration factors with the biodiversity and environmental aspects. It is far too easy for some people to be single minded. As the Leadership Team of the District, we have to consider a wider and much more nuanced perspective and responsibility.