WE will keep the borough on track – that’s the vow from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s leader in the face of the tough economic climate. When Councillor Andrew Finney became leader last May, he said his priorities were to deliver the town’s major projects, maintain services and keep council tax down.

While the national economy has since nosedived, and every one per cent fall in interest rates reduces the council’s income by £800,000, Cllr Finney is determined to press on with the administration’s long-term vision so the borough has an advantage when the recovery comes.

“The top priority in the short-term is maintenance of service provision to all our residents and ensuring we do all we can to protect them from the worst effects of the economic downturn,” he said.

“Moving on from that, we are also maintaining our focus on the end of the recession, not the beginning, and making sure that we don’t shut up shop during the recession period.

“We will make sure that when it ends, Basingstoke is in a position to ride the upturn, is the place business wants to come to and has the infrastructure and facilities for people to come here.”

Cllr Finney said pushing for a learning campus, to provide university level education in the town, pressing on with The Malls facelift, and starting the regeneration of Basing View, to give businesses the accommodation they need, are important to positioning the borough successfully.

The learning campus is part of a major, and controversial, building project being proposed by developer Lemon Land on the former Eli Lilly site in Kingsclere Road. But it will require a decision on a planning application.

Cllr Finney hoped the position would become clearer by the end of March, but added: “Whatever happens, we will, by the end of the year, have identified a site and we will have time frames in place for delivery of the learning campus.”

The budgets for Basing View will have been approved when 2010 starts, he said, adding: “Hopefully, initial works will be commenced so we will see evidence on the ground that things are changing – that a project is under way.”

Following the recent consultation about The Malls, Cllr Finney said the council should have a definitive design for a refurbishment, and be tendering for it, by the end of this year.

In November, The Gazette exclusively revealed a new twist on Basingstoke and Mid-Hants Athletic Club’s long-held ambition to add two lanes to the track at Down Grange. Basingstoke Town Football Club were proposing a multi-million pound sports stadium complex on the site – one that could also be shared by Basingstoke Rugby Football Club and possibly other organisations.

The council has a key role to play and Cllr Finney said discussions between the sports clubs are “very promising.”

The goal was to have agreement with all the sports organisations by the end of the year and to have two extra lanes by 2012 – in time for the London Olympics.

Despite Cllr Finney’s desire to keep council tax down, the council is set to levy the highest increase for more than a decade because of the pressures from the economy.

Cllr Finney said the Conservative-led administration is prepared to take such tough decisions. He added: “Any increase in council tax is unwelcome but we believe that, given the current strain on the income levels of the borough, we have succeeded in delivering a very modest increase in council tax – less than a penny a day for the average council taxpayer.”

The council leader also had a warning for anyone who talks negatively about the borough.

He said: “If we start saying to people that things are bad in Basingstoke, and that we have got problems, we run the risk of encouraging people not to come here.

“That’s not to say we shouldn’t be aware of difficulties and try to be better, but we have to do that in a way that doesn’t damage the image and reputation of the borough and make the situation worse.”

“The best interests of our residents are not served by talking the borough down.”