Creating a better community

Sleaford Community Funding

The future community resources, and their funding, of Sleaford have become an issue once again. A typical comment is “The proposed Power Station will cost £80million to build but how much community benefit will be invested in Sleaford?

The national policy, from Westminster, across all main political parties appears to be to build sustainable communities. Our local policy appears to be that community funds be used to invest only into Affordable Housing. We need to widen our vision of what we want for Sleaford.

A case in point is the Holdingham Ward that I represent. The refurbishment of the Lincoln Road Play Area, scheduled for 2008/09, will be good for that side of the Lincoln Road, but other investments are needed in the rest of Holdingham.

New areas of Open Space will be required in Holdingham. The new Estate on the Holdingham Roundabout will house 400 residents of whom about half are expected be children. The extra houses off Peterborough Way will rob the kids there of the area that was the old Bowls Club. Added to that, we lost the small play area off Winchester Way 2 or 3 years ago. Oh, and by the way, the Lincoln Road still needs more refuges for people to cross safely so we can communicate safely as a community.

No doubt other Wards feel the same. There is a need to plan for facilities: schools, bridges or refuges that people can use safely: and focal points for residents to meet as a community.

A Community Plan that incorporates all these needs is of the essence.