LABOUR is calling for Chester Renaissance to be replaced with a high flying city centre manager to boost the struggling retail sector.
Regeneration spokeswoman Cllr Carolyn Graham, who represents Blacon on Cheshire West and Chester Council, announced the opposition idea ahead of tonight’s council tax-setting budget meeting.
Cllr Graham called for the regeneration function to be brought back in-house, saving £110,000 to fund chief executive Rita Waters and the £30,000 office rental bill.
In addition, CWaC gives £55,000 to city centre management (CCM) which she says is mainly to deliver a Business Improvement District (BID) which would involve retailers paying an extra levy to improve their trading environment.
Cllr Graham said: “Our proposal is to use the contribution historically given to Renaissance and CCM and fund a top level city centre manager for Chester, tasked with implementing the BID, drawing down investment, coordinating city centre activity and attracting new retailers; with a team of retail support managers to oversee the management of other town centres in the borough.
“This will reduce quangos, bring a more coherent regeneration strategy for Chester with greater accountability and a more coherent and progressive town centre strategy for all areas of Cheshire West and Chester.”
Cllr Graham claimed a recent consultation revealed businesses ‘lack confidence’ in Renaissance, which is based at Chester Visitor Centre but is moving to smaller offices in Abbey Square.
Tonight’s meeting will see the Tory-led authority set a balanced budget following a stiff settlement from central government which means it must make savings or find additional funding of £25.8m in 2013-14.
A further £33.9m of savings are anticipated to be required over the following three years.
Among the proposals are to increase council tax by 1.9% and raise charges for a whole raft of services.
This includes home to school transport which Labour claims will lead to the annual cost per post-16 pupil rising from £660 now to £880 in future following a previous £220 increase.
A decision on whether to raise the cost of a school meal has not yet been made. If an increase is proposed then it is unlikely to exceed 5p per meal, equivalent to an increase of £9.50 per year for each child.
Conservative deputy council leader Les Ford told a recent executive meeting: “Following the autumn statement, the Chancellor increased the savings required from this council, along with all the others, and I would remind you that under the first settlement this was meant to be a quiet year.
“Our savings had been front-loaded and this was going to be a respite.
“I fear the respite has rapidly disappeared!”
