The city’s newly elected Labour administration has delivered its election pledge to review the proposals to redesign Valley Gardens. In March, a petition with a large number of signatures was given to Full Council asking for the Mazda Fountain to be saved. The previous administration would have scrapped the fountain. The newly elected Labour administration has listened to the people and has ensured that the fountain will stay and will be restored.
Councillor Gill Mitchell, Chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said:
The previous Green administration, with support from the Conservatives, has allowed the Valley Gardens scheme to progress to an advanced stage. Despite our reservations, we will now make sure that we take into account fully the concerns of the local residents as the final designs of the scheme are developed. In order to make sure that the scheme will be delivered on time and on budget, we have asked for the most senior people at the council to take charge of the project.In addition, we will consult closely with key stakeholders, such as the bus companies and the police. It is clear that the previous administration had not given the project the focus it requires.The Government have given the council £14 million for this project. Returning the money to the Government has never been an option as this would mean that we would jeopardise investment for future projects. What we have to do now is reshape the project as much as we can without giving up the funding.Importantly, the last part of the scheme has not yet been finalised.
This is the part closest to the seafront and includes the Aquarium roundabout. We will make sure that these plans provide the biggest benefit for our city’s seafront, which, as we know, is in need of significant investment.”
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Warren Morgan, said:
The next five years will see an unprecedented amount of new development in the city as disused brownfield sites are regenerated and the building of the new hospital gets underway. At the same time our transport infrastructure and seafront needs investment and renewal. Our challenge will be to deliver the projects that will take the city forward while keeping it on the move.Returning the funding to the Local Enterprise Partnership was never an option for us and we are determined to maintain our good relationship with regional partners to the benefit of the city and our Sussex neighbours.”
