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Cameron's BIG Society seeds in RBWM |
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Trees will be planted along Royal Borough roads and in parks and new extreme weather equipment purchased thanks to the residents who took part in a consultation earlier this year to say how they would like part of their council tax to be spent in the year ahead.
The Your council tax…Your choice consultation - the first of its kind in the borough - asked residents how they would spend £½m of the council's 2010/11 capital budget. Given the current difficult economic climate they were also given the option of not spending the money at all. Cllr Liam Maxwell, lead member for policy and performance, said: "This exercise highlights this council's belief in openness and transparency, which the Royal Borough is pursuing further as part of David Cameron's Big Society. "It is vital to offer residents every opportunity possible to be a direct part of how the council works on their behalf." Residents' three top choices - improving cycling facilities, tree planting, and extra grit boxes and a small gritter with mini snow plough - were discussed by a cabinet sub-committee on Tuesday 20 July and plans approved for tree planting and winter weather. A survey of cyclists asking them for their ideas about cycling facilities will take place in the next few days to identify specific projects to be carried out. A total of £100,000 is to be spent on each of the projects. The tree planting programme includes: • £20,000 for trees to be planted in parks • £80,000 for the planting of trees along roadsides through the borough, including replacement of felled trees • asking parish councils to help identify tree planting projects in their areas. It was agreed that the way to gain maximum benefit from the winter services' £100,000 would be to buy equipment which could be accessed by parishes or residents when needed. The money will go on: • extra salt stocks • support for parishes and residents to encourage self-help by providing more grit bins and snow shovels via the Adopt-a-Street project • more equipment to spread salt in town centres and side streets more efficiently. Cllr Richard Kellaway, lead member for finance, said: "It is great to see the progress as residents' preferences move closer to reality." "The three schemes which emerged the clear favourites with residents will cost £100,000 each. In view of the current difficult financial climate and the fact that the remainder of the options were lower, we have decided not to use the entire £½m this time." Cllr Alison Knight, lead member for planning and development, and Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for highways and streetcare, both welcomed the opportunity to provide additional, and visible, benefits to residents throughout the borough. |
