As the general election approaches, Ipswich Central has laid out six expectations for all candidates to commit to, in order to ensure the future success of Ipswich as a vibrant place to live, work, study, and visit.
As the representative for hundreds of town centre businesses, the Ipswich Central team passionately advocates for the prosperity and growth of Ipswich.
As such, we expect our next Ipswich MP to:
- Champion Ipswich: Act as a tireless advocate for Ipswich, promoting its town centre and supporting policies that enhance the town's appeal to potential investors, visitors, and residents.
- Support Funding Bids: Back funding bids from all partner agencies that aim to attract investment into Ipswich, foster economic growth and enable development.
- Lobby for Investment: Be an advocate for Ipswich at central government level, securing maximum investment from any available central funding opportunities to aid the recovery and revival of the town centre.
- Relocate Government Bodies: Endorse bids to relocate government or public sector bodies to Ipswich as these entities seek locations outside of London, boosting local employment and economic activity.
- Improve Transport Links: Collaborate with the Department for Transport to enhance rail and road connectivity to Ipswich, making the town more accessible and attractive for businesses and visitors alike.
- Reform Business Rates: Support a reformed system for business rates that reflects the value of high streets, providing them with a fair playing field suitable for a modern society.
Terry Baxter, Chair of Ipswich Central, says these expectations are vitally important. “It is crucial that the MP for Ipswich following next month’s election, commits to unwavering support of the town centre, the beating heart of Ipswich,” he says.
“The vitality of our town centre is essential to the overall success and well-being of our town. Whoever the successful candidate is, a commitment to the expectations we’ve laid out today, will help ensure that Ipswich remains a thriving, dynamic hub for businesses, residents, and visitors.”
Ipswich Central believes these calls for action are crucial for the sustained success and growth of our town. We urge the community and all stakeholders to support these commitments and to hold candidates accountable, to ensure that Ipswich remains a thriving, dynamic hub for all and pledge to keep MP candidates accountable and committed to bettering Ipswich.
