RIBBLE VALLEY INSIDE Market revamp latest p2 £800 for lunch clubs p3 Watch out for the HEF! p4/5 Help for young homeless p7 NewsThe newspaper of Ribble Valley Borough Council Summer 2015 £3m boost for local economy as boroughs host Aviva Tour of Britain RIBBLE Valley is to co-host one of the passed through on its way from biggest free-to-spectate sporting Rochdale to Blackpool, and the first time events in the UK on Monday, that Clitheroe or Colne have been a host September 7. venue. The world’s top cyclists and tens of And the event looks set give the visitor thousands of spectators will descend on economy in the two boroughs a Ribble Valley and Pendle for Stage 2 of £3million boost. the 2015 Aviva Tour of Britain. The Aviva Tour of Britain is the UK’s Stage 2 will see 20 of the world’s top premier road cycling event and cycling teams, including Olympic and broadcast internationally by 16 television world champions, and Tour de France channels across 139 territories in Europe, stage winners, power through Ribble Australia and the USA. Valley and Pendle from Clitheroe to zSee the four-page supplement with Colne, taking in the Nick o’ Pendle climb, this edition of Ribble Valley News for Dunsop Bridge, Slaidburn in the Forest of more information about this exciting Bowland and Barnoldswick. event, including a pull-out map It will be the first visit of the Tour of featuring spectator zones and car Britain to the two boroughs since 2010, parks, and how local schoolchildren when the opening stage of the race are taking the Stage 2 legacy to Kenya. We’re officially one of the UK’s hidden gems RIBBLE Valley has the best rural “All of this is down to elected quality of life in the North West a members, who draw upon many diverse top survey has revealed. talents, a committed senior management And Clitheroe is the eighth best team and a loyal and dedicated market town in which to live in the UK workforce. according to a national newspaper. “We are delighted with these results Residents of Ribble Valley enjoy the and might have fared even better in the best quality of life of any rural area in survey had it not been for the weather!” the North West, according to the 2015 The survey found that southern areas Halifax Rural Areas Quality of Life tended to receive higher ratings for Survey. weekly earnings and the weather, while The survey took a wide range of northern areas scored better on factors into account, including crime education, lower house prices in relation rates, employment, school results, to earnings, lower traffic flows and broadband access, health and wellbeing, population densities. life expectancy and the weather! Ribble Valley is the safest place in Ribble Valley Borough Council leader Lancashire and one of the safest in the Stuart Hirst (pictured) said: “These UK, with around 28 crimes recorded results reveal what we have always annually for every 1,000 residents, which known, that Ribble Valley is one of the is significantly below the national average UK’s hidden gems. and the lowest in Lancashire. “The council works hard with its partners to keep crime rates low and The borough is also one of the UK’s ensure the borough remains one of the premier food destinations and in best places in the country in which to September will host Stage 2 of the Aviva live, work and raise a family. Tour of Britain, the UK’s largest free-to- “Although only a small rural spectate sporting event. authority, the council has an excellent Clitheroe was also recently placed record of success, enjoying a level of eighth in the UK’s Top 10 Market customer satisfaction that is the envy of Towns by the Times newspaper, while neighbouring authorities, as well as Whalley was named one of the Top 10 healthy reserves and one of the lowest Places to Live in the UK by the Sunday council tax rates in the country. Times. Why not visit us on the web? www.ribblevalley.gov.uk 2 Summer 2015 Ribble Valley News Council leader’s Council tax frozen for the sixth year running message RIBBLE Valley Borough Council has Council leader Stuart Hirst praised the country – a significant achievement built on announced a council tax freeze without cuts dedication and hard work of council staff many years of careful financial planning. in jobs or services for the sixth year running. and councillors for delivering efficient and “I am grateful to councillors and staff for We’re back, but The council has frozen its 2015/16 council cost-effective services in difficult times. their dedication and commitment in tax without the need for compulsory He said: “I am delighted that Ribble continuing to deliver efficient and cost- the challenges redundancies or service cuts, despite a 14 Valley’s share of the council tax has been effective services, while maintaining high per cent reduction in Government grants. frozen and core services protected for the levels of customer satisfaction.” Support for charities and voluntary sixth successive year. Council tax bills include precepts from still remain organisations will also be maintained. “This has been achieved despite a Lancashire County Council, Lancashire THE General Election of 2015 will be Ribble Valley Borough Council’s share of reduction in core Government funding of 14 Constabulary, Lancashire Fire and Rescue memorable for many reasons and not the council tax on a Band D property per cent, a total of 40 per cent since 2010. Service and parishes. least for its astonishing and unforeseen remains at £140.69, the lowest in Lancashire “Ribble Valley has the lowest council tax in Full details are available at outcome. Not only were the predictions and one of the lowest in the country. Lancashire and one of the lowest in the www.ribblevalley.gov.uk. of the pollsters confounded, but the victory of the SNP in Scotland was a political volte-face of seismic proportions. In Ribble Valley, which hosted national and local elections for the first time in 20 years, the ruling Conservative Market revamp moves administration was returned with an increased majority. I would like to thank residents for their ongoing confidence in our ability to build on past successes and extend a warm welcome to the newly elected councillors of all political colours. By any assessment Ribble Valley is a closer to completion high performing council, with a record of nationally recognised achievements over the last four years that compares with THE proposed redevelopment Britain in September, the the best performing authorities in the of Clitheroe Market took a redevelopment of Clitheroe country. While acknowledging what has step closer this week after the Market reflects the ambitious and been achieved, the new council is now shortlist of six potential confident way in which the looking to address the serious developers was reduced to council is promoting and challenges that lie ahead. two. developing the borough’s Over the forthcoming year, we will Research into the viability of a economic potential.” have to balance the budget for 2016/17, redevelopment of the market site Colin Hirst (pictured left), despite further inevitable grant cuts. We Ribble Valley Borough Council’s was presented to Ribble Valley want to see the contract for the head of regeneration and housing, Borough Council last year. Clitheroe Market re-development signed added: “The final submissions The selection of a development and ready to go, and we will be building will be evaluated with a view to partner in line with the council’s on the success of the borough’s Core making a recommendation to the procurement procedures started Strategy, by completing the land council’s policy and finance and a shortlist of six potential allocations work. developers was drawn up. committee in September. In the longer term, sweeping changes Now the shortlist has been “We will then select a partner, to local government in England have reduced to two, who were due to who will work up a detailed been given legislative flesh in the make their final submissions as scheme and submit a planning Queen’s Speech, which will speed up the Ribble Valley News went to press. application for a retail-led mixed- process of devolution to our city region Ribble Valley Borough Council use market development and car combined authorities. leader Stuart Hirst said: “This is park. The Northern Powerhouse is a a fantastic opportunity to bring “This is a fantastic opportunity growing reality, as is the stark reality that modern retail and leisure facilities to bring modern retail and leisure Lancashire is currently well behind the to Clitheroe town centre, and the facilities to Clitheroe town centre, proposed scheme has generated curve of our metropolitan neighbours in and the proposed scheme strong interest from developers Manchester and Liverpool. generated strong interest from across the country. We should embrace these changes as developers across the country. “Although only a small rural an opportunity, not a problem, and seek “We expect a planning authority, the council has an to build a leadership role for Ribble application will be submitted and excellent record of success, Valley. As such, not only will we have an approved by next March, with enjoying a level of customer equal say at the top table, but will secure work starting in the summer. satisfaction that is the envy of that other paramount objective for the “We will be holding discussions neighbouring authorities, as well long term – the preservation of the with market tenants and as healthy reserves and one of the independence of Ribble Valley and the businesses who may be affected lowest council tax rates in the end to calls for our abolition within a country.