That was the year that was
Hello everyone, and I hope you’re all looking forward to Christmas and getting a well-deserved break.
It’s that time of year when we look back on the previous 12 months. And there is no doubt that this has been the most challenging year for the council in my time here.
The simple truth is that we are finding it increasingly difficult to provide the day-to-day services that residents rely on. A lack of funding, rises in prices, and increasing demand for services has been a triple whammy for councils across the land. The bad news is that these challenges are still going to be with us in 2025.
But there is also good news. A lot has happened in 2024 that is worthy of celebrating.
One of our top priorities is to drive investment and boost the local economy. And you can now see projects coming to fruition, especially if you visit Radcliffe. The new Civic Hub is going up, and new affordable houses are being built. Work has started on the new Enterprise Centre, which will provide a base for small businesses and start-ups. Even the Milltown Street bridge, damaged by Storm Eva all those years ago, will soon be replaced.
On top of that, work has begun on the first phase of the Prestwich town centre regeneration scheme, which will transform the Longfield precinct and beyond. We’ve agreed a regeneration framework for the Mill Gate centre in Bury, and we can look forward to the creation of the new flexi-hall and transport interchange.
Another of our priorities is to improve children’s lives, so it was fantastic to see the opening of the new high school in Radcliffe. Run by Star Academies, the first year is full, and by all accounts very popular.
Our children’s services team have just had a very positive review by Ofsted, with inspectors saying simply that more children were receiving the right care at the right time.
Six Town Housing has now come back in-house, and earlier this year we announced plans for new kitchens and bathrooms.
We now have a record 15 Green Flag parks and green spaces, and invested significant amounts in bringing all-weather pitches to Ramsbottom and Radcliffe, not to mention the new pitch at Bury FC’s Gigg Lane home.
As well as new buildings, what matters is our people. We are putting social value at the heart of everything we do, where local people directly benefit from the large projects. This can be seen at the new community skills centre in Radcliffe, as part of the Civic Hub build, where young people can learn new skills and qualifications associated with the construction trade.
We have also introduced measures to give certain groups of people more opportunities, such as our Armed Forces veterans and young people leaving care.
There’s a lot to do next year, and we won’t always get everything right, but we’ve much to be proud of in our borough.
I hope you have a merry Christmas, or a happy Hannukah. Please spare a thought for those who will not get a holiday over the festive season because of the essential jobs they do, and also for those who might be vulnerable or alone. Together, we’ll get there.