A new survey of Ipswich residents shows that less than 30% reported the last crime they witnessed to the police, raising questions about the accuracy of local crime statistics and the public's trust in local policing.
Council set to award up to £5.3m to undisclosed town centre regeneration projects
News
Oliver Rouane-Williams
Ipswich Borough Council's Executive is set to approve grants worth up to £5.3m to revitalise empty spaces in the town centre.
The big picture: An independent expert panel has selected five projects to receive funding from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, part of the Ipswich Town Deal.
The chosen projects will initially receive small development grants to test feasibility and costs.
After this stage, the panel will consider awarding larger grants for project delivery.
The selected projects have still not been disclosed to the public.
£5m remains in the fund for the council to bring other key buildings back into use.
The Botanist was one project funded by the Towns Deal fundOliver Rouane-WilliamsIpswich.co.uk
What they're saying:
Councillor Neil MacDonald, Ipswich Borough Council Leader, said: "There are some very exciting projects being recommended by the expert panel and I look forward to being able to reveal them when further checks have been made on their viability."
David Ralph, the Town Deal and Ipswich Vision Board Chair, added: "There were 21 applications to the Regeneration Fund and the best five have been selected by the expert panel. I look forward to the projects coming to fruition and helping Ipswich to thrive."
Why it matters: The Towns Fund programme aims to significantly improve the Ipswich town centre, building on previous projects such as The Botanist, Suffolk New College, and the University.
What's next: The Executive will meet on Tuesday 10 September 2024 at 6pm to discuss the grants.
