Council to continue to invest in Community Action Teams
As part of its budget proposals for 202/23, Telford & Wrekin Council will be continuing to invest in Community Action Teams, in partnership with local town and parish councils.
Set up in the last year, the 13 Community Action Teams (CATs) across Telford and Wrekin are supported through funding from town and parish councils and £1.6 million of match funding from Telford & Wrekin Council over three years.
In their first year in operation, the CATs delivered a wide range of work to keep neighbourhoods clean, green and safe, as part of the council’s commitment to creating a better borough.
The teams get involved in a range of projects which can vary depending on the season, for instance neighbourhood enforcement teams inspect areas across the borough for any on and off street parking, carry out school patrols, fly tipping investigations, abandoned vehicles along with general litter and dog fouling patrols.
Further examples of their work include:
•Litter picking located on a green guarantee site in Dawley by our Environment Community Liaison Officer, which was reported and removed from site; making it cleaner and safer for residents to use.
•Neighbourhood enforcement teams addressed concerns about vehicles parking in disabled bays in Oakengates without valid blue badges, to ensure access to disabled parking for those who need it most.
•Restoration work was carried out in an open space over in Lawley and Overdale on St Helier Drive in Dawley Bank. The area was given a thorough clean-up, a bench and planting were also installed to make it more attractive for residents and anyone passing by.
In addition, the Community Action Teams scheme has also created apprenticeship opportunities with the council’s contractors, and are leading by example in sustainable transport by using electric vehicles that are cleaner and greener to the environment.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s budget proposals for next year include a further £500,000 to be spent in 2022/23, as part of the £1.6 million, three-year programme.
Councillor Lee Carter (Labour), cabinet member for neighbourhood services, regeneration and the High Street, said: “When we launched the Community Action Teams last year, we said we would fund it through a £1.6 million investment over three years. Our budget proposals for next year continue this commitment, spending over half a million pounds in the next twelve months, on top of a similar amount last year, and the same again in 2023/24.
“The team have made a significant improvements by carrying out the work which really makes a difference to our borough. We want to continue the great effort by investing further to protect, care and invest in making Telford and Wrekin a great place to live.
“We are able to do this, and freeze the increase in general council tax, despite ongoing reductions in government support, through careful and sound management of the council’s finances.”
For more information about Community Action Teams (CATs) visit www.telford.gov.uk/telfcat
