After what feels like years of pressing the Council for a better deal for Romiley, work is finally going ahead on improving and repaving the Precinct. This work is funded by Government grant and should come in at £250,000. As a local councillor I am glad this long overdue project has started and look forward to a brighter and more attractive Precinct for residents and shopkeepers. CCTV will be installed to keep anti-social behaviour in check. I did think, however, it was a great shame to see a large mature tree cut down by the Council. Why couldn’t this tree have been left where it was and incorporated into the new open space scheme? We have few enough green trees in the District centres.

Regenerating the District Centre has to be about more than just paving though – we need to be looking at everything from cleanliness to incentives to shop locally, like free car parking. Credit is due to our District Centre Stewards who work hard cleaning up the area every day.  Romiley’s Steward does a great job and without him the village would look a real mess after thoughtless people scatter their take-away boxes over the pavements. A clean village is an inviting and attractive one.

However, no credit is due to the Liberal Democrat Council for their constant and wooden refusal to look at some limited Free Parking in the village centre car parks to encourage more local people to use the shops.  People resent paying for a short shop and will drive further away to shop for a few items where parking is free.  Businesses are closing down and although better pavements will help, they will not by themselves encourage people to come and use our shops. It really is time for some joined up thinking from those who control Stockport Council.

Cllr Syd Lloyd
Bredbury Green & Romiley

This article, by Cllr Syd Lloyd, was first published by the Stockport Express on 07.10.09.