Wealden residents and businesses are being asked for their views about the District’s proposed aims for the next five years
These are outlined in the Wealden’s Corporate Plan 2015-19, which sets out how the Council will continue to protect and enhance the District’s unique rural character whilst attracting investment, regenerating its market towns and developing tourism and rural enterprise.
As well as creating more employment opportunities, the Council will continue to secure a good quality of life for its residents, helping them become healthier and providing more affordable housing for local people.
“Our aim is to see Wealden become a District of Opportunity both in the quality of life enjoyed by residents and their economic wellbeing,” said Councillor Bob Standley, Leader of Wealden District. “Over the past five years the Council has become a smaller organisation employing fewer people directly but jointly commissioning and sharing services with neighbouring councils. Our running costs have reduced by £3 million a year whilst maintaining our front line services.
“But we are not small when it comes to the scale of our ambition. We want to encourage more people to buy their first home, meet the needs of our growing elderly population, conserve and enhance our green spaces, maintain our towns and villages as vibrant communities and see major improvements to the District’s key transport connections. All this can be achieved through a strong commitment to partnership working and firm budgetary control.
“This is an ambitious plan. It involves keeping council tax increases as low as possible and continuing to carefully manage our resources.
“I would ask residents to take the time over the coming weeks to look at our proposals on the consultation pages of our website and give us their views.”
The draft 2015-19 Corporate Plan is published in an easy-to-read 12 page format.
Among the aims of the Corporate Plan are:
- Support the Safer Wealden Partnership in efforts to reduce the numbers of people killed or seriously injured on Wealden’s roads.
- Extend the Council’s Apprenticeship Scheme in partnership with local businesses.
- Maintain the state and cleanliness of the local street scene.
- Provide Suitable Alterative Natural Green Spaces and manage them like country parks.
- Ensure fast digital access to markets for Wealden Businesses.
- Maintain free car parking at point of use.
- Attract more jobs and employment opportunities to the District.
The consultation for the proposed Corporate Plan closes on 26 January 2015. It will then be considered by the next Cabinet meeting and a decision will be made by the Full Council on 25 February. Once approved the outcomes set by the Corporate Plan will be monitored every three months through the Council’s ongoing Performance Plan.
A survey carried out by Wealden District Council last summer, 75% of residents questioned said that they were satisfied with the way the Council runs things.
