How should money be spent to improve our town?
Cllr Ruth Brown, district councillor for Royston Heath - Credit: Supplied
A survey has been launched for Royston residents to have their say on how funding should be used to improve services and benefit the community.
Cllr Ruth Brown, who is the district councillor for Royston Heath and chair of the planning committee at North Herts District Council, has urged people to get in touch with their ideas on how section 106 funding could best be allocated.
Section 106 funding is provided to councils when developers build more than 10 houses in an area, as part of a legal obligation to provide money for health, education, transport, leisure and community facilities.
Cllr Brown said: "Many local residents are rightly concerned about the additional services needed in Royston to support a growing population.
"Often people are angry at developers making a profit from building houses in our area without the local infrastructure to support them."
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Projects that have already had section 106 money allocated to them include the A505 cycle bridge, the AstroTurf hockey pitch, the skate park, bus shelters and bicycle racks.
The survey, which was set up by the North Herts Liberal Democrats, asks how the section 106 money should be spent, as well as money from a legacy project fund that Royston Town Council plans to invest in the community.
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Whatever the funds are spent on needs to benefit the whole community, and ideally be sustainable and long-lasting.
Options include something to enhance the natural environment, something to benefit children, teenagers or older people, something to help people keep fit or play sport, something to contribute to preserving the town's history or something to improve arts, culture and music provision.
The survey also asks whether the money should be invested into transport, providing jobs and business opportunities, or into making Royston more sustainable.
Existing ideas which have been proposed include more drinking water fountains around town, a new or renovated youth club, renovating and reopening the public toilets and a performance arena in Priory Memorial Gardens.
To take part in the survey go to https://northhertslibdems.org.uk/en/survey/royston-community-investment-survey
