City regeneration wins praise
The transformation of central Leicester in recent years has earned the city council praise from an independent watchdog.
Bringing in Highcross Leicester, Curve, the Cultural Quarter, and sprucing up city centre roads and pavements helped the city council to a two-star rating from the Audit Commission.
-
Highcross Leicester
In a report released today, inspectors said the authority's regeneration department was "good", with prospects for further improvement "promising".
Working on a scale from zero to three stars, the commission inspection team said the council had transformed the look and feel of the city centre and worked successfully with others to get cash to pay for improvements.
It is the first time the council has been assessed in this way.
Inspectors said one of the council's key strengths was that developments, such as Highcross, have helped significant numbers of people to get jobs, skills or qualifications and improved the city's ranking nationally as an attractive shopping destination.
The council did not get a three-star rating because it needed to offer better value for money on projects and do more to improve life for city residents in deprived areas.
Mary Perry, Audit Commission senior manager, said: "Leicester city centre has been improved substantially by the council and its partners.
"The new theatre, shops and jobs have made it a city centre to be proud of.
"However, if Leicester is to thrive, more action is needed to improve educational attainment and skill levels and to help people to get work, as well as to build and sustain businesses."
Her report said schools' performance, educational attainment and benefits processing was poor and the council needed to do more to retain graduates in the city.
It must also decide how best to assist individuals, businesses and the private sector during the recession.
Leicester City Council's chief executive, Sheila Lock, said: "We are especially pleased with the recognition of what we do well in this city, which reflects the hard work of officers and councillors."
Councillor Patrick Kitterick, regeneration spokesman, said: "This report shows we are already providing a good service and that we can have confidence it will improve."
9 Comments
by pam, oadby
Friday, June 19 2009, 8:15AM
“andrea, if the council aren't responsible in any way, shape or form for building shops and flats, who is it that grants planning permission and why? why do we have regeneration committess and spokesmen? why has the council spent so much time, and money, promoting highcross to the detriment of the rest of the city centre? why has the council happily closed roads around highcross to benefit highcross to the detriment of trader of, for example, high st? why did the council sell of st.maggies to highcross instead of rebuilding the pool or building a replacment for granby halls there? why are they selling the granby halls site to the tigers when this site would be ideal for a multi-storey, multi-sports and swimming complex? why did they not tell tigers and lcfc they would not allow them to play on the same day when both teams were discussing sharing the walkers stadium? the council may be limited in it's powers and in it's influence but the decisions it has made in the past have resulted in the decimation of our once beautiful and historic city (and this continues with, for example, the demolition of the bowstring bridge).”
by Anon, Leicester
Thursday, June 18 2009, 1:52PM
“Whoop dee do da - Leicester has more shops, that is so going to enrich my life here especially in a recession. The Curve is a lovely building but who is booking the acts? - They are rubbish. Why do i get accosted for fags by junkies and alchies on Humberstone/Belgrave gate and Granby Street. Why do we have so many fried chicken shops in the city. Why is the council always looking for 'back slaps' for doing their job i.e. city planning? I know, because they have winged it for years and they are 10 years behind every other city in the country and when all is said and done they have improved Leicesters business not enriched the lifes of the city duellers.
This must be the 50th article I have seen of this nature since High Cross opened - I don't think Bob Geldof had as much reported on him when he done Live Aid - I think our councillors are a bit egocentric and narcissistic.”
by KH, Leicester
Thursday, June 18 2009, 1:23PM
“Well done Leicester - I don't care what anyone else says, this is a positive thing. The city still has a way to go but it's getting there!”
by Edward, Leicester
Thursday, June 18 2009, 12:42PM
“Oh Mercury, why do you bother? You know the comments section is just going to full of the same whingers, whining on and on about the council and the weather and whatever else they can think off. This is a positive story. Friends of mine coming into Leicester are amazed at Higcross and the High Street and Curve. of course there are empty shops - we're in the middle of a recession! But, oh no, "it's all the council's fault..." Bor-ing!”
by Paul, Hamilton
Thursday, June 18 2009, 11:48AM
“I walked through the city centre for the first time in months on Sunday- I could not believe how drab it looked walking down Gallowtree gate and also the number of empty shops.
As for the Haymarket did the Audit Commission not go down there!”
by derek doran, stoneygate leicester
Thursday, June 18 2009, 11:11AM
“Here- here Andrea. The "Council" get blamed for all the problems when they have neither the financial resources or legal powers to deal with them. A positive approach to regeneration will attract more money to the City Centre so come on the Mercury.”
by Graham, Whetstone
Thursday, June 18 2009, 10:56AM
“You're quite right Pam, however you have some lovely paving and a modern theatre to admire instead...”
by andrea, leicester
Thursday, June 18 2009, 10:55AM
“Yes the council closed down maggies and granby halls but why do people not understand that they dont build shopping centres or flats its PRIVATE companiess. The planners can't even turn them down with out good reason.The council have done a hell of a lot wrong in this city.But for years all you ever see in the Mercury is people complaining about thing the council have nothing to do with.”
by pam, oadby
Thursday, June 18 2009, 9:02AM
“isn't this the council that closed down granby halls and st.maggies and replaced them with a glorified shopping centre? and now it transpires their "regeneration" has left hundreds of empty flats in the city!”