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'My vision for future' - council boss
DELIVERING more quality social housing, new jobs, new swimming pools and improved neighbourhoods with a healthier environment, and reduced crime and anti-social behaviour were my five pledges when I became leader of South Tyneside Council.
Twelve months ago, when I reported back through the Gazette, I said that progress on the ground was what we wanted to see.
While regeneration can be a slow process, I am delighted that we are past the planning stage on many projects.
Today, I want to tell you about the progress we are making, including how almost 1bn of investment attracted by the council and our partners is being spent to make South Tyneside a more prosperous and improved borough.
The council's new chief executive, Martin Swales, has a national reputation for delivering regeneration strategies and attracting investment to the region.
In his former role at North Tyneside Council, he led the regeneration of the A19 corridor and north bank of the river; and he is determined to drive through improvements across the borough.
The loss of our traditional manufacturing base, such as coalmines and shipbuilding, hit our local economy hard, In many respects we are still coming to terms with that decline.
However, it is crucial, if we are to retain our young people in the area, that we attract new investment and new manufacturing and industrial sectors to South Tyneside.
That's why new projects like the new Tyne crossing are so important.
It will not be until the new tunnel opens next year, and both tunnels are in action the following year, that we will appreciate the benefits.
The A19 is an economic artery flowing through South Tyneside and if we plan correctly, we will be able to use the second tunnel to attract new jobs and investment.
Part of our strategy is to encourage new low-carbon businesses to South Tyneside and there is massive potential here to bring in even more investment, as well as contribute towards delivering a healthier environment.
Boldon Business Park, Monkton Business Park, the new Green Park at Jarrow and Bede Industrial Estate are crucial to our long-term future. But the investment cannot stop there.
That's why we need to regenerate South Shields Riverside, with new businesses and housing and a new Riverside Park so that residents can enjoy the spectacular views of the river.
That, in turn, will increase demand in South Shields town centre, attracting new retailers to the area.
I am also delighted to report that we will shortly be clearing some of the site for the new swimming pool at the Foreshore on the former Qasar laser site and that a new pool will be built in Jarrow.
Investment of 2m is being spent improving the Foreshore which will really make a difference for residents, businesses and visitors to South Shields.I know that residents are starting to appreciate some of the improvements, including reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour, more than 167m will be spent improving our housing stock and there is record new social housing being built across the borough, as well as land being made available for housing developers for those who wish to buy.
There is also our commitment to modernise or rebuild every school. I promise that we will continue to listen to what you have to say as we progress even further.
One of the key messages coming through from residents in our budget consultation, and in a Gazette poll, is that most people want us to keep the council tax rise as low as possible.
One of our big achievements is that we have attracted this investment at the same time as delivering one of the lowest council tax rises for the past 15 years.
This has meant challenging our costs and how we deliver our services to come up with new and innovative ways.
Entering a partnership with BT; working more closely with neighbouring councils to achieve economies of scale and examining how the voluntary and third sector can help deliver some of our services are just three ways we can achieve this.
Change is not always popular. I remember people criticising plans for a Metro system across Tyne and Wear – but the benefits are now very clear to us all.
We are clear that to continue to progress, we have to keep listening and find new solutions.
Yesterday, we set the council budget for 2010/11 and we have managed to keep the council tax rise below the three per cent you asked for.
This year's rise is 2.71 per cent or 49p a week for residents in Band A.
Residents across South Tyneside pay the second lowest council tax in the North East, and I am determined to ensure we keep your tax low by finding new innovative ways of delivering our services.
I know there are concerns among residents and readers about how we will continue to invest in some of our services, such as adult social care and we have listened to you.
We have extended our consultation to do exactly what I have described – work with residents, partners and others to make the best case possible for investment – and, at the same time, challenging how services are delivered to come up with a better solution for everyone.
With our track record, I am confident we can meet this challenge.
With your support, we can ensure that the best years for South Tyneside are ahead of us, not behind us.
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Weather for South Shields
Thursday 23 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 7 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 26 mph
Wind direction: West
