Redcar: A new Sea breeze comes with a breath of Sunshine.

As I drove down the Coast Road into Redcar I thought I had missed a Spring tide, and the Council proposed flood defence measures were all too late, for there parked was a fishing cobble high and dry in the middle of the Zetland Park roundabout! Cumulatively I realised that this was a Borough scheme to highlight our cultural roots, with a little smile I concluded, that here, for the first time in years Redcar had a newly designed gateway, which, with approval upheld my pride and passion for the town and its people. For those who had this initiative, I commend your design.

Sadly, and not without some obvious reasons, everyone I talk to about the Town centre slights it as being shabby, a dump without focus, fellowship or leadership. Indeed it is many years since Mr Llewellyn the Town manager, David Bottomley of the Council and I lead the bid for a City Challenge grant which failed, not because of the merit of the scheme, rather on political grounds as the then Teesside-Langbaurgh Council was in conflict with the central Government.

Thankfully, the error of trying to play national politics through the Town Hall, by Redcar historical example, has proved such semantics do not to deliver the much needed revenue resources, and while politics can never be completely dissolved from within the Town Hall, the Councilors best practice is to work together for the common good and to covert their MP’s resources and energy.

Indeed thanks to Vera Baird’s vision, Redcar will soon see the foundation stone of our new swimming Baths and Pavilion. I do realise that locally there has been a lot of opposition to the Coatham enclosure plans and like all planning, not all will agree. However, the Town as a whole and its Children having been denied swimming facilities for nearly a generation will be the stronger for the development without it being a burden on the rate payers.

Getting the lack of our past Town achievements into perspective, and to make the reader realise why Redcar has missed out for decades, previously our future were decreed by outside un-associated bodies of political leaders, first with Teesside and Clangour County Councils then Cleveland, as against today through past coalition we have seen a totally focused representative East Cleveland Council where, with some merit, we are seeing a more responsive design in self governance.
However, within our community one has to look into our history and realise that it is 40 years since Jack Kitchen the Town Cobbler lead his Marske Brass Band down the Esplanade to give the last Concert on the Redcar Band Stand. In earnest I look forward to the building of the new Redcar Pavilion and through its inaugural launch a performance area where once again see the bands marching forward and leading the Town in community fellowship.

Could I ask the Towns shop keepers and business to play their part in realising that their commercial rates go to central Government and not directly into the Towns Councils coffers? Please help the town, its people and indeed their own business by washing down their shop fronts and the pavement outside their properties daily, then once and for all, we can wash away the grime of neglect with which the Town currently is so unnecessarily associated.
Philip Chisholm © May 2007