REDDITCH local Leigh Walton has been recently appointed as the new Chair for Redditch Town Deal Board replacing local businessman Adam Freeth.
Leigh moved away when she was 17 but returned to Redditch in her 20’s.
She said: “The job of the Town Deal Board is to ‘move Redditch forward’ to create a smart and vibrant town.
“The fact that the high street is changing is a big challenge, many people now shop online, so a town has to offer more than just retail.
Leigh is a member of Redditch BID (Business Improvement District) which links in well to her Town Deal Board role, as the BID group is working towards organising more community events and promoting the town as a great place to run a business.
She added: “Like most town centres, we have a bit of a chicken and egg situation.
“We need to bring our residents and visitors into town, and we need reasons for them to visit us rather than somewhere else.
“If people come in, businesses will start to follow, if businesses come in, people will start to follow.”
The Town Deal Board has developed a Town Investment Plan (TIP) and a budget, they are keen to bring their vision to life which will happen between now and 2026.
In 2021 they secured government funding of £15.6 million through the Towns Deal, enabling them to develop plans for a new digital manufacturing and innovation centre, redevelopment of Redditch Library and improvements to the appearance of the town centre.
“I’m really looking forward to getting cracking on development plans for Redditch.
“The Town Deal board is made up of people with different skills, yet with one goal in mind; to improve our town so that is a town people and businesses want to be a part of and to be proud of.”
Follow the progress of the Redditch Town Deal Fund on the council’s Twitter and Facebook pages.
