Happy New Year to everyone in Cheltenham. I hope you managed to get a break.
We loved spending Christmas here at home, with highlights including going as a family to the Everyman to see Dick Whittington. Congratulations to Tweedy on his richly deserved honour!
It was also a pleasure to help out at Cheltenham Open Door, and to thank award-winning Simpson’s for their spectacular donation of fish and chips for all. After hikes in the price of sunflower oil, fish and potatoes due to the war in Ukraine, it was another extraordinarily generous and selfless act by Simpson’s. It represented the best of our town.
Amid the obvious pressures, there are reasons to be quietly optimistic about Cheltenham’s future. Although the war has meant that France, Germany and the UK are forecast not to grow this year, the downturn is expected to be shallow and not the galloping depression that some predicted. Wholesale gas prices have fallen back drastically from their summer peak, and even dipped below the price before Putin invaded Ukraine. Meanwhile, inflation is forecast to fall across Europe this year.
Here at home, work to improve the A417 between the Air Balloon and Nettleton Bottom is expected to start. After a long gestation period, something will finally be done to improve safety and reduce congestion on this notorious three-mile stretch of single carriageway.
This £400m vote of confidence in Cheltenham’s economic future means our town will become one of the best connected places in Britain. And when you add in the major Government cash support for the cyber hub, GlosCol and the University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham will be able to attract even more talent and investment. It will help us deliver on the vision I set out in 2014 of fusing Cheltenham’s tradition with modernity, and helping our town get match-fit for the future.
From my work in the Ministry of Defence, I know that there is a massive demand for well-paid security and cyber jobs. Investing today puts Cheltenham in pole position to take full advantage.
[Column first published in the Glos Echo]
