Rob Wilson has welcomed news from local government minister Mark Prisk MP that his campaign for Reading and Woodley to receive ‘Town Team Partner’ status has been successfully approved.
As a result of Rob’s campaign, commercial centres in Woodley and Reading will receive £10,000 to spend on aspects of their original unsuccessful Portas Pilot bids to improve their shopping attraction. The initiative from the Department for Communities and Local Government will also unlock a package of support from town centre specialists from the Association of Town Centre Management to keep Reading and Woodley competitive for retail and business.
Rob worked with Reading UK CIC to build the successful bids which plan for a Service Co-ordinator in Reading, mingled with the High Street Innovation Fund to help stakeholders in business development and improvement work together better for the benefit of the high street. For Woodley, Rob helped shape successful plans for a ‘seed fund’ for new events and initiatives to increase its vibrancy as a market town attractive to families and to develop a thriving “evening economy”. Now the application has had ministerial sign-off Woodley also wants to increase its linkage with new initiatives designed to promote enterprise and people starting up their own business.
The news is the latest in a long list of investments Rob has brought to Reading, totally some £1.4billion. The investments range from the £895million Reading Station redevelopment, the £500million rail link to Heathrow Airport and the £10million UTC Reading scheduled to open in September 2013.
Commenting, Rob said: “I am thrilled that the Minister has approved my Town Team Partner applications for Reading and Woodley. This is an exciting development which will help us increase the commercial vibrancy of our shopping centres at a crucial time for our economy.
“With the un-ring fenced grants from the Government we can spend the cash on achieving some of our original aspirations for the Mary Portas scheme for our high streets. Plus with the support from specialists in town centre management I hope we will see the great opportunities this presents come to pass soon with Reading and Woodley reaping the benefits. Watch this space!”