Exciting plans lie ahead, says Wolverhampton Council leader
The leader of Wolverhampton Council says regeneration schemes lined up will bring thousands into the city.
Councillor Stephen Simkins said a raft of regeneration projects were in the pipeline, with the new City Learning Quarter college campus, which is due to open later this year.
The £61 million campus, supported with £20 million from the Levelling Up fund and £5 million from the Towns Fund, will be occupied by City of Wolverhampton College.
It occupies a site on the corner of Bilston Street and Garrick Street previously occupied by the former ABC Cinema, and later the Oceana nightclub.
Councillor Simkins said; "It’s going to bring thousands of students into Wolverhampton every day, supporting the economy but most importantly creating opportunities and better futures for local people."
He said government funding was also being used for improvement works were being carried out in Darlington Street.
Councillor Simkins added that work on a £5.2 million refurbishment of Bilston market began last year.
"The Towns Fund-backed project will see a modern market with an events space and much more," he said.
Councillor Simkins was responding to criticism from his opposite number Councillor Simon Bennett, leader of the opposition Conservative group on Wolverhampton Council.
Councillor Bennett had criticised the use of a £3.3 million grant given through the previous government's Levelling Up fund to invest in Wednesfield, after it emerged that more than £1 million had already been spent before any work had taken place.
But Councillor Simkins said this was perfectly normal, and the council had been clear about how the money would be used from the beginning.
"Our residents can have confidence in how we are delivering these projects and how we manage our money," he said.
"In fact, independent auditors Grant Thornton recently gave the council a ‘clean bill of health’ for our annual statement of accounts and said we provide ‘value for money’ in its annual auditor’s report."
He said the council recently set its budget for the year ahead and, despite the financial challenges faced by all councils, remained very ambitious and focused on delivering for residents
