Our High Streets should be places people are proud of.
Brentwood town centre has been held back by some empty shops, anti-social behaviour, and a long-standing lack of support for the local businesses that keep the high street alive.
Residents across Brentwood have made it clear they're worried about the state of the high street.
We have listened. We have taken practical action to improve things. That includes support for parking in the High Street, campaigning for road improvements, and a plan to revitalise the Baytree Centre, while making our streets cleaner and safer and backing the businesses that keep our community going, from shopfront grants to support for retailers as members of the Chamber of Commerce.
The Lib Dem-led Borough Council is investing millions into the Brentwood Centre, the Baytree Centre, local CCTV and cleaner streets, helping to strengthen community facilities and support town centres.
The Lib Dem-led Borough Council are working with the police and community safety teams, increasing CCTV coverage and taking practical steps to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. That includes getting businesses to act on vacant premises, like the Edinburgh Woollen Mills site.
Working with Brentwood Connected, we are determined to give as much support as we can to businesses in Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone.
Lib Dem Councillor David Kendall said: "I've lost count of how many people have talked to me about past Tory neglect of Brentwood's town centre, to which Reform have offered no answers. "
He noted: "We have frozen car parking charges for the second year running and kept free Sunday car parking and invested in new ticket machines and ANPR technology to make the whole car parking experience even easier."
Councillor Kendall added: "You can still park for £1 for an hour in Brentwood Town Centre at the multi-storey car park in Coptfold Road."
He concluded: "Our plans will tackle the causes head-on, so our high street becomes somewhere people want to visit, spend time in and feel proud of again."
