NEXT STEP IN TOWN BID

Long Eaton residents are being urged to get involved and share their views on the shaping of an investment plan for the town – an important step in the bid for substantial government funding. The chairman of the new Long Eaton Town Deal Board is local businessman and entrepreneur Richard Ledger and he has urged residents to get involved as work continues to unlock the funding for major projects that will boost Long Eaton’s regeneration drive. A six week public consultation, hosted by Erewash Borough Council, is launched this week (Thursday 16 July) as the drive continues to finalise a detailed bid for funding after Long Eaton was named as one of the UK towns that could be in line for up to £25m funding through the government’s Towns Fund.

The Long Eaton Town Deal Board has a membership from across the community and chairman Richard Ledger is founder of Draycott-based Millitec Food Systems Ltd which manufactures machinery for the food industry and exports all over the world. The board is working to put together a Town Investment Plan that will, when finalised, feature a range of proposals that could include projects like a re-design of the often grid-locked Long Eaton Green junction and the High Street and the redevelopment of some derelict buildings. A detailed plan needs to be developed to ensure the town has a robust and effective case for government funding. Board chairman Richard Ledger says residents have an important role to play:

“I am extremely excited to be part of the team working to deliver the town deal for Long Eaton. This is a substantial amount of real money available to spend on transforming Long Eaton into a town that we can all be proud to live and work in and I hope that we’ll see real changes being made within months not years. What we need most of all though is to hear from the people of Long Eaton – it’s your town and you understand better than anyone what is needed to change it for the better. Don’t be shy about sharing your vision with us. Long Eaton is a unique place with a rich industrial heritage and together we have a fabulous opportunity turn it into a town that is the envy of the midlands.”

Councillor Dan Pitt, Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Town Centres, added:

“We have said from the start that this is a marvellous opportunity to bid for millions of pounds of funding to revitalise Long Eaton. Much work still lies ahead to develop the best proposals possible for the economic growth of Long Eaton I am pleased with the Long Eaton Town Deal Board’s solid progress in terms of the bid for funding.”

The consultation is open until 30th August and is online at www.erewash.gov.uk The Town Fund is a government initiative designed to highlight the role towns can play in increasing economic growth with the focus on matters like planning and land use, developing local transport schemes that complement regional and national networks and ensuring towns have the space to support skills and small business development.