HAVING already seen its revenue budget cut by £50million, Warrington Borough Council will see its funding from Central Government cut by a further £65 million over the next four years.

Tough choices have to be made and some services have to be reduced in order to safeguard services for our growing older and disabled populations.

But by carefully using our capital budget we have been able to invest in the Town, grow the local economy, create thousands of new jobs, especially for our young people, and help many local residents escape the benefit trap.

Anyone driving past Omega will now see an amazing transformation from what was a former, derelict airfield only eighteen months ago to now being the home to Brakes, Asda, Travis Perkins and Hermes Parcelnet. 2,000 jobs have been created or safeguarded.

And it hasn't stopped there, two other major occupiers are due to be announced for Omega South and subject to planning approval, this will bring a further 1,250 jobs of which approximately 500 will be manufacturing jobs.

Our plans to regenerate the town centre continue at a considerable pace.

There are three major schemes that will work together and create a bustling, family friendly, day and evening environment.

The Stadium Quarter project is under way and the new Business Incubator centre should open in June next year.

The £52 million Bridge Street Quarter project is on schedule and work will begin in earnest after Christmas to create a new market hall and modern leisure, retail and office space.

The third scheme is to develop the area around the former Garnett cabinet works and create a safe pedestrian thoroughfare to link Bridge Street and our cultural quarter.

If you are a business owner please do look at the council's 'Warrington Means Business' strategy. Warrington is a great place and we are working hard to not just keep it that way but to make it even better.