Local views essential in Barrow's successful Regeneration

Deputy Leader of the County Council Mike Ash wants to work with local community representatives, employers and trade unions in developing the long-term plans to enable Barrow and the Furness area to overcome the economic problems caused by the recent BAE announcement on redundancies at the town's shipyard and the ongoing problems in the area. 

Councillor Ash is the County Council's Director on the Urban Regeneration Company, Westlakes Rennaisance, which has a crucial role in delivering and co-ordinating the agreed New Vision for Furness and West Cumbria over the next decade; 

"It's clear that with the Urban Regeneration Company being the focus for so much of the long term regeneration activity for the Furness area we must make sure the ideas and aspirations of all sections of the local community are listened to and reflected in what we do. 

In helping the company to achieve that I'll be liasing closely with the County Council's Local Committee in Barrow and politicians from all parties. I will make sure they are kept up to date with everything that's going on so they can feed their views into the Company's meetings. 

I'll also be encouraging the Company to set up regular links with other local employers, community representatives and trade unions. Building a brighter economic future for Furness and West Cumbria is at the core of what this Council wants to achieve and that's a point I'll be reinforcing at the Council's Cabinet meeting next Tuesday when we look at how the Urban Regeneration Company is progressing."