Why are Local Council budgets at breaking point?
After 40% cuts to council funding by governments over the past 14 years, I feel for all council leaders trying to consistently do more for less. We need urgent changes to council funding arrangements, and I hope the Labour Party copy Green policy and add that to their manifesto. The likes of Cheltenham Borough Council will be bust in a matter of years unless something changes.
Almost 10 years overdue, North Place car park redevelopment plans submitted
Plans were submitted last week to finally develop one of the town’s biggest eyesores: North Place car park.
The fact it has taken the Lib Dem-led borough council nine years to find a developer at a time when affordable housing is at an all-time low is beyond a joke. By the time anything is approved and built it will have been more than 12 years since the Morrisons development was scrapped.
This is one of the most prized areas in Cheltenham which has been left as a dusty wasteland for too long. Meanwhile other housing developments have been completed or approved on the precious green belt surrounding the town.
Whilst overdue, the proposal for 153 houses is welcome. As is the fact that the developers aim to provide homes for a broad socio-economic range, such as young people, families and downsizing older generations.
I hope the loss of the car park will encourage those travelling to the town from farther afield to use the under-utilised park and ride. Few, if any, visitors drive into Bath or Oxford these days and Cheltenham should be aspiring for the same.
As someone who lives close to the development, I will study the application and urge others to do the same.
More barriers to recycling at Swindon Road?
If cutting the opening times was not bad enough, the council has introduced a reservation system which means we will have to pre-book to take our recycling to the Swindon Road centre.
The council claims it will improve the customer experience, yet I cannot see how. Many people drop recycling off on their way elsewhere, but a booking system makes impromptu trips more difficult. We should be helping the town to recycle rather than adding barriers.
If you have any questions about this article or want to raise any issues with me as your Green Parliamentary Candidate for Cheltenham, you can contact me at directly at daniel.wilson@cheltenham.greenparty.org.uk