Mourning the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, has offered us all a time for reflection and remembrance, as well as an opportunity to give thanks for a life of steadfast duty, that was dedicated to the service of others. The late Queen visited our district on several occasions; but even for those she never met, her service will have touched their lives too in so many ways. As we all come to terms with a new order, our thoughts remain with His Majesty The King and all the members of the Royal Family.

Reports of ever darkening clouds on the horizon are understandably causing many in our community to be deeply concerned about spiralling energy bills, food, and transport costs. Rest assured please that our Council is committed to helping those who are struggling, with work currently in progress on a package of initiatives to provide meaningful support to residents and local businesses, this winter and into the new year ahead.

Whilst COVID-19 may have largely disappeared from our headlines, with colder weather just around the corner let’s give ourselves the best chance of staying fit and healthy by taking the seasonal booster jabs when invited. Information on how to book your vaccines is available on the NHS website with appointments available locally at Stoneleigh Park.  

In other news:

• Investment Zones announcement – some excellent news this morning with Coventry and Warwickshire shortlisted as one of the locations for the Government’s new flagship investment zones. Within the IZ zone is the proposed West Midlands Gigafactory site at Coventry Airport, with the significant range of incentivisation tools announced making it an even more attractive prospect for automotive industry investors.
• Transforming Leamington – has taken a major step forward with the appointment of local regeneration expert Mark Lee, as the first independent Chair of the Leamington Transformation Board, following a hotly contested selection process. Mark will guide the direction of the board through an ambitious programme of work to renew and regenerate Leamington Spa town centre, taking the reins on a number of schemes currently underway including Spencer Yard, Town Hall Creative Hub and the revival of the former House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer stores.
• Tachbrook Country Park – plans for this new 121-acre country park are taking shape following the submission of a planning application earlier this year. A raft of work has progressed behind the scenes with partner agencies including developers, ecologists, landscape architects and the County Council. While progress may be slower than we anticipated it is important that we take considerable care to balance the wide-ranging requirements of all stakeholders and ensure that the land is in the right condition for the successful development of an accessible and sustainable green space for our growing communities.
• Calling all tennis providers – tenders have been called for the operation of our public tennis courts across the district. The tender will be published shortly on our e-tendering portal. Interested parties will be able to find out more information when it is advertised on the GOV.UK contract finder website.

And finally… may we wish all those gathering this week-end to celebrate the Rosh HaShanah (Jewish New Year) a special Shanah tova to one and all.

Keep smiling and stay safe.

Cllr Andrew Day
Leader, Warwick District Council

Chris Elliott
Chief Executive, Warwick District Council