Brave and Bold
With the current state of the economy, who would have predicted the launch of another newspaper for Crawley? This is a decision that has something in common with the post-war designation of Crawley New Town. It is creative, brave and bold.
Crawley is known for its diversity in terms of population and increasingly in an economic context. It was five years ago that Crawley Council took the decision to work with partners to encourage the broadening of our local economy, to make it more resilient to worldwide shocks and to sustain our relative prosperity. We have had some success and there is less perception of Crawley being a “one-horse” town.
In the media context, the Crawley Times is a welcome extension to our diversity. The emergence of a quality broadsheet newspaper is a positive development that should increase the reach of news to Crawley people. We should see this as an expression of confidence in Crawley, our place in West Sussex. At the same time, there is the opportunity to see more news about the county of West Sussex, which can sometimes be under-reported here.
Crawley is unique in West Sussex, positioned at one end of the county as a vibrant contributor to the overall economy. Our companies and enterprises provide 37% of the total West Sussex business rates based on just 2% of the land area of the county. We have attained this position in parallel with a strong emphasis on social justice – a commitment to leaving nobody behind. The fact that we enjoy such relative prosperity and have seen such dramatic and successful growth is a great tribute to the commitment and vision of the early New Town pioneers.
Sometimes success can be seen as a threat by others and result in negative imagery in neighbouring areas. This is changing and there is an increasing realisation of our town’s great strengths across the economic, social and cultural dimensions. We can be seen as an example of successful community, one that is adaptable and pursues objectives that are right for the times that we live in.
The West Sussex County Times exists in its broadsheet format across the county. For it to now appear as a Crawley brand is an opportunity for us to help promote our town.
Crawley has much to be proud of and much to look forward to. We will not be standing still. There are plans for the major retail-led Town Centre North development and a new neighbourhood west of Bewbush. Efforts are being made to attract a university presence. We have neighbourhood centre regeneration schemes in Bewbush and Langley Green and other projects coming forward across the town. We are also making substantial investments to maintain and enhance our council houses.
In these times of economic uncertainty, the hallmarks of Crawley will stand out. There will continue to be optimism and vision for our collective future and actions consistent with motto of Crawley Borough – “I grow and I rejoice”.
Councillor Bob Lanzer, Leader of Crawley Borough Council
12th September 2008