Crawley Council is now preparing its new corporate plan for the period 2010-15. This is a document that sets out the strategic priorities and direction for the Council over the next five years. Usually much of this planning achieves broad political consensus. This reflects the fact that political differences are more often about how we deliver priorities rather than what we actually aim at.
This latest corporate plan is being produced against the backdrop of a number of challenges. We need to deliver it in an environment where we are emerging from recession, meaning that we need to consider how we can best assist in encouraging a return to economic growth and more employment. Alongside this is our commitment to economic diversity while supporting the contribution made by such key employers as Gatwick Airport.
Other challenges include our ability to enable the full range of housing need while protecting the quality of our built and natural environment. Conceivably, this area could be influenced if we can or are forced to permit residential development in the north east sector.
Our environment remains a key concern including our ability to make a contribution to mitigating the advance of climate change and its effects. The health of our community is high on the agenda and it is pleasing to announce this week the start of a feasibility study for a new major general hospital west ofCrawley.
It is the Council’s aim to increase capital investment inCrawleyand this has been evidenced by spending on Council housing, the neighbourhood parades and residential environmental improvement schemes. We need to keep up this effort because parts ofCrawleyare showing their age, reflecting the fact that we are a New Town. Our revenue savings strategy has allowed us to spend more capital in pursuit of these aims but we are still challenged by the recession.
Although it is a minor miracle that we have been able to continue with the Bewbush and Langley Green neighbourhood centre regeneration schemes, this has been achieved by injecting new capital while the value of our land and property assets recover.
The challenges that I have outlined, amongst others, will inform our new corporate plan as will our own resident research. This helps us to understand the aspirations and concerns ofCrawleypeople. Our corporate plan will include a range of objectives with strategies in support. We will group our objectives into several themes which will include Prosperity, Community and Environment.
Most importantly we will seek to embody the aspiration that has been aCrawleyhallmark. In broad terms, we aim to enhance the economic and social status and well-being of our community.
Councillor Bob Lanzer, Leader of Crawley Borough Council
13th January 2010