If elected, what would your priorities be for Hereford City in the first 12 months?
JABA -- St James and Bartonsham Community News, Spring 2010
Hereford is a gorgeous city. But these are tough times. Dozens of shops have closed, together with restaurants like Miro and Arte. Young people are often faced with the choice of bad jobs or leaving the county. Wages are very low, housing very expensive. There has been huge opposition to redevelopment plans, but no agreed alternative.
The problem is twofold: funding and vision. A recent analysis of mine shows what an awful deal we get from central government: a funding gap vs. the national average of £175m over the past five years. That’s £70m of underfunding for Hereford City—a gigantic amount. Enough by itself to fund a second river crossing, wireless broadband AND renewal of the Buttermarket.
But a deeper problem is lack of identity: what’s Hereford City for? I don’t want my home to be part of another Clone Town full of faceless chainstores and supermarkets—no-one does. But what should be our goal? Think of Hay, and you think Books. Ludlow, Food. Hereford… er, Traffic. And this confusion leads to lack of vision and leadership. Little wonder the City is not moving ahead.
The tragedy is that Hereford has so much going for it: the Cathedral, the river, the ancient city centre, Castle Green, a wonderful setting in gorgeous and largely unspoiled countryside. It is full of talented and creative people. And there are some terrific new initiatives, from Central Park to the Kindle Centre in South Wye, where I recently raised £10,000 for a new youth community theatre.
We need to rededicate the city to these ideas: to be a beacon for the arts, for local traditions and for good citizenship. That means developing a genuine economic/regeneration plan that covers the whole city, not just Edgar Street. It means a far greener approach, which emphasizes public transport, cycling and walking, attacks litter, opens up the river and plants thousands more trees. And it means a more rational housing strategy, which enhances the City's infrastructure rather than tacking it on as an afterthought.
Longer term, we need a second river crossing, a Herefordshire university, better rail links, wireless broadband, a new football ground, a Shire Concert Hall, better youth facilities and a more empowered City Council. And lest we forget, a better deal on funding.
I have campaigned for three years now for all these things. As MP my priority will be to lead a huge collective local effort to make them happen.
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