'Exciting times' as key assets placed under local control (From Crewe Guardian)

'Exciting times' as key assets placed under local control

10:46am Wednesday 6th June 2012 in News By Matthew Taylor

VALUABLE community facilities including town halls, civic centres, markets and allotments will be improved as part of the ongoing transfer of public assets to town councils.

Alsager and Sandbach town councils have been handed control of their town halls from Cheshire East as part of the Government’s localism agenda.

New Mayor of Sandbach, Clr Carolyn Lowe promised to ‘bring the market back to its former glory’.

“This will not be an easy or overnight task. However, it is a task that we are prepared to tackle and as leader of Sandbach Town Council I will ensure that we stay on track and achieve these goals,” she said.

“Plans for the town hall include refurbishment and promotion, whilst in time the market will be re-invigorated. We feel that we can provide a better service at a local level and that this will benefit the town as a whole,” she added.

In Alsager, the Civic Centre is the first of a number of assets to be transferred to Alsager Town Council.

Cheshire East and Alsager town councils plan to also transfer the Wednesday Market, four allotment sites, Crewe Road public conveniences and the town council offices in Lawton Road.

Clr Rachel Bailey, Cabinet member in charge of communities and regulatory services, said: “I am confident that the civic centre will be successfully managed by the town council and we believe it is best placed to run it for the benefit of the people of Alsager.”

Clr Shirley Jones, chairman of the civic centre management committee on Alsager Town Council, added: “These are exciting times for Alsager Town Council. Alsager Civic Centre was built and paid for by the people of Alsager and now it is coming home after being run by other authorities for 38 years. Our vision is to make it the hub of the community and a facility to be enjoyed by all.”