Return of Our Town, another roadmap milestone and a crackdown on domestic abuse

Return of Our Town, another roadmap milestone and a crackdown on domestic abuse

Much has happened since my previous column before the election period and I should start by thanking everyone who voted in the local elections.

The results across the borough show clear support for both our record and the direction we are heading in as a council.

We know there are significant challenges ahead but we are now looking forward to carrying out our Covid-19 recovery plans and the Deal 2030 priorities to ensure we create a fairer Wigan Borough for all of our residents.

This week has brought with it the latest date on the government’s roadmap with further restrictions eased.

It is fantastic that we can now meet family and friends indoors and many businesses are now allowed a few more freedoms.

As we have done throughout the pandemic, we must encourage everyone to have a sense of perspective and not to be too over-confident.

The rates in neighbouring authorities emphasise the fact that coronavirus has not gone away and we should not be acting like it has.

If you are meeting indoors, remember to have the room well ventilated by opening windows and doors if you can. We have come so far in recent months, we can all take personal responsibility and keep making collective progress.

The last few weeks have also seen some very important campaigns launch across the borough.

Firstly, Our Town – our project to build on the borough’s unique sense of community spirit - has returned.

Through its Cleaner, Greener programme, our teams will be visiting district centres to undertake environmental improvement works.

Golborne and Atherton district centres are next on the list so please do keep an eye out for the works.

Meanwhile, a campaign to help people identify the signs of domestic abuse – Love Is Not Abuse – has launched this week.

It’s an incredibly important topic and we hope to raise awareness and encourage anyone affected to make contact and access the support and advice services available.

This week we also revealed our legacy plans as one of the hosts of the UEFA Women’s Euros next year at Leigh Sports Village. Along with our partners, we want to ensure the tournament has an impact on the borough long after the final whistle.

We have outlined plans on how to increase participation in sport and inspire the next generation, whether that’s through playing, coaching or refereeing.