Thame’s Economy ‘On the Cusp’

THAME?S Town Councillors have been warned that the economy of the town has reached a critical point.
Speaking to members of the Town Council?s Policy and Resources group last week, the Town Clerk, Helen Stewart, warned: ?We are on the cusp now. If we do not do something, we could end up in the doldrums?.
The committee was discussing whether or not to support the Campaign for the Sustainable Communities Bill, which aims to prevent what has become known as ?Ghost Town Britain? by encouraging the government to allow a bottom-up approach, allowing local communities and local councils to drive sustainable economic and environmental solutions.
The Bill aims to “turn the world of politics upside down”. It would enable principal authorities to reverse the process of what is being called Ghost Town Britain – a reference to the fact that over the last decade Britain has lost a fifth of its post office network, a quarter of its independent grocery store network and a third of its bank branch network, as well as thousands of other local shops, independent pubs and local services and facilities. This situation destroys local commerce, damages the environment (through increased traffic and congestion) and causes social exclusion and reduced active citizenship.
The campaign organisers, Local Works, say: ?Communities and local council?s (not civil servants) are the experts on their own problems and the solutions to them.? They are asking local councils to, for instance:
Write to their MPs, asking them to support the Bill and sign Early Day Motion No.641.
Promote local economies, local services and facilities.
Protect the local environment.
To write to Local Works expressing their support.

The committee had earlier heard how the Clerk had been working with the ?Try Thame First? campaign, which is aimed at helping to reverse the down-turn in both footfall and turnover, currently being experienced by many retailers in the town.

The committee voted unanimously to support the Campaign for the Sustainable Communities Bill by doing all the things it was asking.

For more information visit: http://www.localworks.org
Photo: Could this happen to Thame shops?