Passing Comment – Levelling up cash can make a real difference to Barry
By Sue Vincent Jones
WELL, that bolt from the blue £20 million boost to ‘level up’ Barry has got to be the most mind-blowing news we’ve had for a long while.
Truth be told, I haven’t been this excited since Argos waltzed into town about 20-ish years ago, so thank you to Westminster’s Conservative crew – not a sentence I ever thought I would type!
Fair play though, whatever political colour you wear, this week’s announcement from the UK Government for a Barry that’s ‘been overlooked and taken for granted,’ is very welcome news.
Flipping the cash from city spending to town regeneration, the aim is for the UK Government to work with national, regional, and local politicians in partnership.
A newly-formed Town Board should then produce a 10-year plan to tart up town centres, sort public safety, pull in private investment, site housing at our heart, and reform leisure licensing rules.
Then we resilient residents are going to be asked what we think – putting more power in those who know their area best.
What could possibly go wrong?
Ever the optimist, I’m going to have faith that our far from perfect local councils will raise their game on this one and finally make a difference.
Fingers crossed that the board is made up of a diverse and mixed membership that reflects all of us who live, work, rest and play in our beautiful Barry. Please don’t just assemble the usual suspects who think they know what we want, complete with the almost obligatory male, pale, stale squad.
A heartfelt plea also that when we are asked what we want – that we are listened to, the results are transparent, and any decisions made, even if we don’t like them, are clearly explained.
I can’t wait to be asked myself and have already started my shopping list.
I’m going for, in no particular order, a mix of retail, leisure, housing in Holton Road, a modern Heritage Centre, holiday let happenings plus a toilet turned restaurant on the Rock.
A proper Memo Arts Centre, a Red Dragon-style leisure complex, a Waterfront estate with more than just houses on it. And why not throw in, a new Knap Lido while I’m at it?
Yeah, yeah, wildly ambitious I know, and we will need some perfect planning, serious investors and lots and lots of land.
Starter for ten though.
By Sue Vincent Jones
- The views expressed by columnists of this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Glamorgan Star, its employees or its proprietors
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