City unveils vision for future with ambitious set of targets

Councillors have approved a new Vision for Leeds 2011 to 2030, a long-term plan for the development of the city, which has followed public talks with residents, schoolchildren and business people across the city.

Leeds Initiative last published a long-term plan for the city in 2004.

However, since then much has changed both globally and locally.

The city of Leeds is facing a series of major challenges. Despite becoming wealthier as a city over the last 20 years, Leeds still has many deprived areas, where there is a poor quality of life, low educational attainment, high crime levels and anti-social behaviour, poor housing, poor health, and families where no member has worked for generations.

It is hoped that the plan will help to tackle the multiple problems of poverty and to improve all parts of Leeds.

Coun Keith Wakefield, the leader of the council said yesterday: “This Vision is ambitious – but it needs to be – we have some big challenges ahead of us.

“With massive population growth, cuts in public spending and the effects of climate change all to plan for we need have concrete plans in place.”

Following the consultation the top priorities to emerge included: good quality, reliable public transport; a cleaner, greener city; new job opportunities; a sense of community spirit; good community relations and an emphasis on culture and entertainment.

Alongside the Vision for Leeds, the Leeds Initiative, a partnership of organisations, is publishing a set of priorities for action, which sets out the key outcomes they hope to see delivered by the council, and its partners, over the next four years.

It will help the city address short-term challenges resulting from the reduced public funding between now and 2015 and sets out ways of tackling the urgent issues that the partners say need to be addressed.

Both the Vision for Leeds and the City Priority Plan will be formally launched at a series of community events in the city between September 19 and 21.