AS A Cabinet we are determined to fulfil our promise to deliver for the people of Basingstoke and Deane. We were elected to get on with the job of making a difference.

For example, we’re beginning to see the results of a boost in funding for front line services to give people pride in their neighbourhoods, with more staff street cleaning, grass cutting and hedge trimming.

We are also seeing improvements after extra investment in the play area programmes to update, as well as maintain, these valuable family-focused facilities.

As well as investing in frontline services that make a big difference, we are also focusing on the larger projects to ensure the borough remains a great place to live.

For example, we are working on the longer-term aspiration to revitalise Basingstoke town centre. We are focused on supporting new businesses to start and existing businesses to thrive. Across Festival Place, The Malls, Top of Town and Basing View our drive is to improve, enable and invest, working with our partners.

While we are looking to the future, we are busy making progress on actions to improve the town centre’s look and feel now. As part of our ongoing work to improve the Top of Town, our teams have been repainting safety railings and refreshing the planters throughout the area with new and colourful arrangements this summer.

We are also giving the pavements in the area a deep clean and removing chewing gum. We have completed work in Market Place and will be continuing in Wote Street, Church Street and Winchester Road shortly. 

A grant scheme to support businesses to improve the look of their shop fronts will be coming soon.

We really want to breathe new life into the Top of Town. One way is by making it a thriving live music hub showcasing the many talented musicians in our borough by opening up more opportunities to perform in venues in the Top of the Town. This will start with an event to celebrate live music at the end of September.

Action is the word, results is what we want to see.