Putney Chosen For Pilot Project

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As a Town Team Partner in scheme to improve town centres

Putney is one of the towns chosen by government housing minister Mark Prisk to join a pilot project to improve the UK ’s Town Centres.

Putney will be a Town Team Partner, which means the Town Centre Partnership will be able to access a support package from the national Association of Town Centre Management, including advice from top retail experts, and a £10,000 government grant to put plans into action.

Putney High St by Marcus d

Each of the borough's town centres has a Town Centre Partnership, made up of council representatives, including the town centre manager, local businesses and other groups, who volunteer their time for free. They work to plan and co-ordinate strategies to ensure the long-term success of towns, influence policy, support businesses and hold events.

In Putney the Partnership includes local businesses, including McDonalds, Eddie Katz, Waitrose and The Exchange, the Putney Society, the police and local councillors. They are supported by council officers.

The Partnership's bid to become a Town Team Partner was endorsed by local MP Justine Greening pictured left. The government grant money will be held by the council, but how it is spent will be decided by the partnership. A range of possible projects are being discussed, aimed at making Putney more attractive to investors and shoppers. David Fergusson, Chairman of the Putney Partnership said:
"This funding will help the Putney Partnership embark on local initiatives that will help the town remain competitive, and is a great endorsement of the Partnership by our local MP.' The council's business spokesman Cllr James Cousins said:
"This will build on the already sterling work going on in Putney to ensure it remains a top local shopping destination, including High Street improvement works, measures to cut pollution and investment by local stores, such as the improvements to Waitrose. "The council's keen to work with our partners in all our town centres to make them as attractive and commercially viable as possible. The crucial Christmas shopping period is approaching, and we want local people to shop local and support the borough's shopkeepers."