Council Cash Set To Smarten Up Acton |
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£2 million investment announced in budget
Acton is in line for a £2million package of investment to smarten-up the town according to plans unveiled by Ealing Council. The package of improvements, which is part of the Council’s 2008/09 budget proposals, includes over £1million to improve streets in the town centre, with plans for new paving, better signage, new litter bins and hanging baskets and the removal of unnecessary signs cluttering up the streets. There are plans too to provide more support for businesses which could include the appointment of a town centre manager to look after the new look Acton, coordinate joint initiatives, ensure business units are fully occupied and attract new traders to the area. There will also be £500,000 put into grants to help traders enhance their shop fronts and support businesses to improve their window displays, giving the town centre a lift. Acton could also benefit from a programme, worth around £75,000, to help improve the skills and education of local people and get the long-term unemployed into work and off benefits. Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, David Millican, said: “Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference in a town and that’s why we’re intending to put cash into some smaller projects as well as the bigger schemes to smarten-up the whole area. By giving people clean, well presented streets we hope we’ll encourage residents to have pride in their area and take care of it. We shall be working in partnership with residents and traders to put these improvements in place and ensure they benefit the whole community.”The Council’s 2008/9 budget and Council Tax level will formally be agreed at a meeting of the Council on 4 March. Once agreed, consultation will take place with residents and traders to discuss the detail of the plans and what they could mean for their area.
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