THIS week, we’ve unveiled the next phase of our trailblazing Health on the High Street work to transform the upstairs of the Alhambra into a health and wellbeing hub.

We’ve also approved at cabinet a £17.3m investment in Barnsley’s roads.

Both are excellent news for Barnsley residents.

They’re two very different areas of the work we’re doing as a council, yet they’re both a reminder that there really is a lot of good news happening in Barnsley.

I don’t ever for one minute forget that there are many challenges for us as a council and for people and their families, nd we will always do what we can to support people.

Last winter, we used money from the UK government’s Household Support Fund to provide vital support to Barnsley pensioners through the challenging winter months.

Our support means that more than 1,322 households are now claiming pension credits who previously were not receiving anything, and 614 now receive the correct entitlement, bringing a massive £5.4m of much-needed income into households across the borough.

We also provided a £200 winter fuel payment to 2,008 households who would have otherwise not received any support this winter due to the ending of the government’s Winter Fuel Allowance.

Looking around the world, there’s so much bad news that it’s easy to feel down.

However, in all my years as leader of Barnsley Council, I honestly can’t remember a time when there were so many positive things going on in Barnsley all at the same time.

Health on the High Street is the UK’s largest relocation of hospital outpatient services to the high street.

It’s going to bring more accessible and convenient health and well-being services to thousands of residents and attract an extra 150,000 visits a year to the town centre, with huge economic benefits.

We’ve also recently launched our Great Childhoods Ambition, which is our commitment to improving the lives and futures of our children and young people. As part of that, starting in August of this year, we’re providing under-18s with free bus travel for journeys starting or finishing in the Barnsley borough every day between 7am and 9pm.

This makes accessing education, work and social and leisure activities more affordable for young people and their families and helps young people be more independent.

Meanwhile, work is underway on The NAVE, a new National Centre for Vocal Excellence located behind the town hall, which will serve as a permanent home to the world-class Barnsley Youth Choir, who themselves make me so proud of our town.

These 700 or so young people are part of something incredibly special that’s recognised around the world for the quality of their singing and the opportunities they provide.

Building work on the youth zone, known as Base71, is almost complete.

Based next to our transport interchange, Base71, along with the recently approved outdoor activity centre, skate park and parkour area, is going to provide a wide range of enriching activities for young people.

Our pioneering Pathways to Work project, led in Barnsley, is helping shape the regional and national approach to getting people into work.

Following years of hard work, we’re now receiving government backing and funding to roll out across South Yorkshire more one-to-one, individual support for people who are out of work.

This personalised approach will help our residents to overcome their barriers to work and find opportunities that are right for them.

Then last week, planning permission was granted for the next phase of development of The SEAM Digital Campus, which will see improvements to the car park, a new urban park, and the landmark new three Yorkshire Roses sculptures.

This is going to be a catalyst for more economic growth in our town centre as part of our ambition for Barnsley to be the UK’s leading digital town.

While great things are happening in the town centre for the whole borough to enjoy, communities across the borough are also seeing huge investment and growth.

Through our Principal Towns programme, people can see and feel the impact of our investment in local areas, such as significant improvements to the Dearne Playhouse, Great Houghton Welfare Hall, and Penistone Town Hall.

We have further plans aimed at transforming community facilities, driving footfall and investment, creating opportunities and enhancing public spaces right across the borough.

Our labour market has low levels of unemployment. It’s much below regional and national averages at 2.9 per cent.

Job opportunities are being created across Barnsley, especially on the borough’s business parks, where over the last five years, 5,110 jobs have been created across a range of businesses and sectors.

I’m Barnsley born and bred, and I have lived in the borough all my life. I have never been so optimistic for the future or so proud as I am now of what we are all achieving together.