Following a fantastic set of election results for Trafford Labour earlier this month, I want to take this opportunity to thank the thousands of residents who exercised their right to vote. I would also like to extend my thanks to all the Trafford Council staff who ensured polling day and the vote counting ran smoothly.

Now that the dust has settled, my focus is to work with our councillors, council officers and Trafford residents to update our plan for the borough.

Our Corporate Plan is an important document as it sets out the council’s vision and priorities for the next few years.

Our previous plans have supported much of the activity we are currently delivering. Plans to rejuvenate our leisure centres with millions of pounds of investment have been approved in addition to upgrading our town centres in Stretford and Altrincham.

We have bold and exciting plans to support the delivery of high-quality affordable homes while making the borough cleaner, greener, and safer for everyone who lives, works and visits.

However, our current plan, first launched in 2021, does not reflect where we are today, so it is vitally important that we work on refreshing it – but with your help.

It will have five priorities, and we will put measures in place to track progress in each area.

What are the five priorities and why do they matter?

The best start for our children and young people

We are committed to ensuring children and young people are at the heart of what we do. They deserve to have the best possible start in life. They need access to quality schools, colleges, training, and opportunity. It is important our education providers support all children to achieve their potential.

Healthy and independent lives for everyone

We understand how important it is for people to live independently and we are committed to supporting our residents to have healthy and happy lives. We also know that many people in Trafford are struggling due to the impact of the economy; and we understand poverty and disadvantage cause real harm to our residents especially to their health and wellbeing.

A thriving economy and homes for all

We have consistently invested in our town centres, businesses and local skills and training offer to grow our local economies. We have begun to support the deliver high-quality new homes across the borough and made significant investments to improve our town centres.

Address the climate crisis

Trafford Council was the first local authority in Greater Manchester to declare a climate emergency and work is underway to achieve our ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038. We need to improve air quality. Residents and visitors need environmentally friendly ways to get about the borough. We must also support businesses to reduce their carbon emissions.

Culture, sport, and heritage for everyone

We are committed to ensuring that everyone has opportunities to improve their quality of life through sport, arts and culture. We believe strong leisure facilities should be accessible and available to all. We want Trafford’s talent to flourish, building on the foundations of our fantastic community services and local organisations.

It would be fantastic to hear your views and ideas, so please, have your say and complete Trafford Council’s Corporate Plan online consultation at trafford.citizenspace.com/strategy-resources/trafford-corporate-plan-re-fresh/.

Tom Ross is the leader of Trafford Council.