Hasn’t the sunshine made everything feel that little bit brighter? I’ve really enjoyed being able to pop into the village, chat to people I haven’t seen for a while, and watch the town centres come alive again. Only in Rossendale can a quick trip to the shops turn into a string of catch-ups that remind you how connected the Valley really is.
The good weather has also shown off our regeneration work at its best. Haslingden is looking fantastic, the improvements there are really starting to shine and I’m looking forward to the events planned across the town. Rawtenstall Market has had some wonderfully busy weekends too, and it’s been lovely to see so many people supporting the traders. Over in Bacup, plans for the new market have now been approved, so we’ll start to see visible progress on site this summer. A big step forward and something to really look forward to in Bacup.
Now, a quick note on the temporary market in Rawtenstall. I know how much people love it, and rightly so. It’s created a brilliant atmosphere and given the town square in one end of Rawtenstall a real buzz. But it was always designed as a temporary home while the original market, which is over 120 years old, gets the work it has needed for a long time. Caseys are making good progress with that, and the plan is still to welcome traders back into a renewed space that benefits the whole town centre.
And while we’re talking about the places that make Rossendale feel special, I want to mention some of the people who keep it looking its best. Civic Pride have everything looking absolutely gorgeous at the moment and I just wanted to share my appreciation for the volunteers that put in so many hours to keep Rossendale looking so bright. If you’ve ever thought about joining them, now is a lovely time.
There are plenty of events coming up as well. The Friends Meeting House in Crawshawbooth is holding its Open Garden Event on 25th and 26th July, which is always a lovely afternoon out. And across the Valley, local groups are gearing up for a busy few months so please do get out and support them where you can.
A real highlight event for me recently was the Rossendale Works Wellbeing and Employment Event which was hosted at Futures Park. It brought together around 140 residents, with 20 new people signing up on the day and 25 partner organisations offering support. It was a brilliant reflection of what Rossendale Works is all about, breaking down barriers, connecting people with opportunities, and using activity, confidence-building and tailored guidance to help people move closer to work. The programme is a great example of what can be achieved when services collaborate and put people at the heart of what they do.
Keeping people at the centre of what we do, also means listening to our young residents. They’re the next generation who will benefit from the investments we’re making now. We’ve previously worked with pupils from Haslingden High and BRGS, and more recently we’ve been speaking with young people at the Youth Zone to hear their ideas. Their voices are being heard when we’re planning for the future, and that’s exactly how it should be.
A few people have asked why Rossendale doesn’t have elections this year and I just wanted to explain a little bit about why. Following a boundary review, the borough moved to whole-council elections every four years, rather than electing a third of councillors each year. This means we’re able to plan further ahead, while also being more cost-effective. The new ward arrangements came into effect from May 2024, which is why there’s no local election this time round.
Some residents have also been speaking to us about the leisure review and why this was done. Quite simply, we undertook the review so that, ahead of Local Government Reorganisation, we’re in the strongest possible position. Leisure has had a tough few years, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the sector particularly hard, and the Council kept things going, but now we need to make sure our facilities are sustainable and ready for whatever the new council structure looks like. The aim is simple, to protect leisure in the Valley for the long term.
Before I finish, I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has embraced the new food waste scheme. We’ve had some really positive feedback already. It’s only been a few weeks, and we’re still learning and improving, but the level of community involvement has been brilliant. Keep encouraging your neighbours to get involved, community spirit is one of my favourite things about Rossendale.
Here’s to more sunshine, more conversations on the high street, and more reasons to feel proud of our Valley.
As ever you can get in touch with me by phone on 07817 414248 or by email at alysonbarnes@rossendalebc.gov.uk.