FIRSTLY I would like to take this opportunity to wish all residents of Tamworth a very Happy Christmas and a fantastic 2024.
The last year has been a difficult one for many families in Tamworth and across the country, as we have all suffered from the increased cost of living. Families have felt it, businesses have felt it and it looks like this may be the new normal for some years yet.
Families who were already on the breadline will have felt it the most and a time like Christmas brings it all home even more. What should be a time of celebration becomes a time of worry and pressure. We are very lucky in Tamworth to have so many community and third sector organisations who provide a safety net around such families and individuals. I therefore wanted to make a special mention to these groups and to thank them so much for the invaluable work they do in our Town.
As far as the Council goes, we have many reasons to be optimistic about Tamworth’s future and the fantastic opportunities ahead. Tangible action is now visible in the Town centre, as part of the Future High Streets Fund project, with the new college build started, rebuild work of the Peel Cafe site to bring this back into use, and demolition due to start on the buildings with hoardings up. We have a crane in the centre of Town for the first time in decades and 2024 will see these buildings finished!
While some neighbouring authorities are having financial difficulties, our continued robust management means we are about to approve a balanced 3-year budget for our Town. Not only is it balanced, it also provides for more events celebrating the best of what we have in Tamworth, an increased workforce in key areas to help keep our Town tidy and also looks to support the most vulnerable through a fairer council tax reduction scheme and increased third sector grants. We should be proud of this.
We’ve just delivered the most organised fireworks event to date, with new people and traffic management in place to make it a smooth experience for all visitors. Then we’ve finished the year by giving Tamworth a Winter Wonderland event with a fun nutcracker trail, Santa’s grotto and an outdoor ice rink, a first for Tamworth!
Next year will no doubt bring challenges, as every year does, but with so much lined up to announce in 2024 already, I am confident that residents, businesses and visitors alike will see Tamworth as the positive place to be next year.
Enjoy your festive period, recharge your batteries and let’s give it everything for our Town in 2024!
Unless an emergency crops up, I’m on holiday for two weeks and will see you all in the new year 
Cllr. Thomas Jay
