New phase of council’s town centre improvements still on cards – if underspend cash is there

The amount Wrexham Council have underspent this year could determine if the town centre will see further investment via a ‘phase two’ of street improvements.

Most years the council report an ‘underspend’ of predicted budgets, with the cash that is carefully not described as a surplus then allocated on special items such as topping up winter preparation funds, or other specific areas.

In July 2017 Wrexham.com reported that members of the Executive Board had unanimously backed proposals to allocate £270,000 to town centre improvements after a budget underspend – that ended up being part of a £400k project that ripped up red bricks and replaced it with new paving in the town centre.

Although hundreds of thousands of pounds is lots of cash, Wrexham Council have previously played down the significance of such a underspend figure noting back in 2013 such a sum ‘sounds a lot of money’ but is ‘just under half a percent under-spend of the net budget’ in the context of a then £212,000,000 budget. There could be a political fight this year on the destination of any underspend cash, as the Environment Department was recently revealed to be £1.2m overspent and other departments all being part of ongoing cuts.

We asked Council Leader Mark Pritchard if there was a ‘Phase 2’ on the horizon for town centre works, as several more phases had been mentioned.

“When we did phase one we did say we would look at a phase two, and felt there could be three or four phases but all subject to money.

“We are awaiting the end of year final accounts that are coming together shortly, and if there is money spare we will consider the town centre for a second phase as we committed to it.

Cllr Pritchard hit out at an unnamed ‘small amount of individuals’ who were highly critical at efforts from Wrexham Council to improve town, “For some reason they have a serious issue, and are damaging to the town, constantly criticising the council.

“All the council are trying to do is to improve the town centre as a place to visit and shop. For many years that did not happen and we did not invest in the town, and that is why we come to the point we are at now.”

Cllr Pritchard reeled off a list of recent improvements, with the new street paving and works being accompanied with ‘bringing back street markets’, the food festival and new christmas festival, totally refreshed christmas lights and noted that Llywn Isaf was being looked at as being improved to allow easier and better event usage.

“We are looking to make the town a place where you want to shop. Why would you not want good paving? You expect a clean town, and one that is nice to look at. You do not want a town that is not invested in.

“I really struggle with the comments from politicians and some members of the public who on the one hand continually criticise and then on the other, when we invest criticise and make it personal.”

(Our April Fool this year had a ‘phase two’ of works to include civic statues, which of course will not be taking place!)