Saturday 11th March, 2023
What next for Colchester’s city status will be discussed when the Scrutiny Panel meets at the Town (ha!) Hall on 15th March.
The Council claims that the majority of residents are in favour of the shift from borough to city. This has been met with skepticism. Some have questioned whether this was a decision pushed through by an elite few at the Town Hall, with the main supporters being the Tories.
Current partners are resisting the establishment of a new City Status Board according to the report. They argue that the necessary structure is already in place for the strategic direction and the benefits should be focussed of the existing partnerships.
Protectionism is alive and well in Britain’s First City.
It is unclear whether any new money is guaranteed with city status. The Scrutiny report claims that it comes with potential for further regional, national, and international recognition, a sense of pride, positivity, and opportunity. It remains to be seen whether this will translate into tangible benefits for the town.
The Council has responded by focusing on building a legacy that starts with ‘being joyful’ and its Year of Celebration aimed at celebrating and commemorating what the town already has.
What is already has in an existing programme of events. Criticism has been made that many of the events planned are nothing more than what already takes place annually, irrespective of city status.
Creating a legacy from the city status award is the Council’s longer-term goal. There is the hope being that this will benefit future generations by enabling more happiness, health, and shared prosperity.
However, given the difficulties in getting all three main political parties at the Town Hall to work together, this hope remains something of a dream.
One positive outcome has been the City of Sanctuary status, with hopes to convert to Compassionate City status. This is in recognition of the city’s tradition of giving refuge to those in need.
A key theme emerging from conversations to date is the recognition that city status will mean different things to different communities. You try explaining to residents of Wivenhoe that they live in a city.
One suggestion has been to drive a ‘positive’ approach to Colchester as a city through members acting as representatives for Colchester. MP Will Quince tried this a few years ago. The Colchester Ambassadors went AWOL after a few months of local press interest.
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