Welcome to Harlow Ahead autumn 2009
Firstly can I say how delighted I am that Charles K Kao, former scientist at the company that is now Nortel Networks, has been awarded the Nobel physics prize for his work on fibre optics. This valuable invention forms the basis of modern communication including telephone systems and broadband internet. Harlow is now widely known as the birthplace of fibre optic technology and I am delighted that someone who worked in the town for many years and has such strong associations with us has received this honour.
If you are a regular reader of Harlow Ahead you may know that regeneration is top of our priority list. Over the summer we were delighted to unveil our plans for the redevelopment of the town centre north area, including the Market Quarter.
The public consultation on the plans attracted over 2000 people and the response was overwhelmingly positive. We will be taking the views and comments and considering these as we develop the plans with a view to submitting a formal planning application next year. We hope to be opening the first phase within around three years.
We were also very pleased to welcome the Secretary of State for Communities, John Denham, to the town last week. He visited to see the town centre north plans and also to hear about the other initiatives that are underway of try and cushion the town and traders from the effects of the recession. We have received over £50,000 of fundng from Mr Denham's department to help us continue our work and attract shoppers and retailers to Harlow.
On a less positve note we are still in negotation with the CLG over rent reductions. The CLG has set a rent reduction level that they want to see us pass on to our tenants. However to do this would leave a hole in our finances and we may have to make cuts in our services to tenants of around £400,000. We would be very happy to pass on rent reductions to tenants at this difficult time but I think that many would conclude that the long term service cuts they could suffer, would not be worth the short term gain. We have been in negotiations with the CLG to see if we can find a compromise that will allow us to pass on the rent increase in full without leaving tenants to foot the bill in other ways.
Cllr Andrew Johnson
Leader, Harlow Council