CREWE Town Council cemented plans for the town’s future on January 21.

At a meeting held last month, the council adopted its first Strategic Plan and also committed to the production of a Community Plan by Spring 2015.

Leader of the Town Council Kevin Hickson said: “We have worked hard on our Strategic Plan which is very much our map for what the Council wishes to see happen from now until 2020; it is designed to be flexible and to provide a platform on which we can build in the coming years.”

The Community Plan development is a means by which the council will identify the needs and priorities of the town’s residents.

Clr Jill Rhodes, Chair of the Planning Committee, said: “The Plan will help us map future priorities and we anticipate that soon we will be able to convert it into a full Neighbourhood Plan.

“The significance of this is that an approved Neighbourhood Plan is likely to increase monies that are given to the town from planning levies from the proposed level of 15pc to 25pc. These monies could be allocated to projects in the town to help build infrastructure and improve the environment.

“Having such plans in place will also increase the level of influence the council can have on the planning authority and will, it is hoped, increase the level of local input into planning decisions.”