DROITWICH Town Council (DTC) has been urged to provide up to £10,500 to help fund the latest phase of a project aiming to improve prospects on the troubled Westlands estate.

David Manning, Wychavon District Council’s community programmes manager, has been heading the Droitwich West Programme for two years, previously describing the estate as the “most deprived in the area”.

Figures show reports of antisocial behaviour on the Westlands have reduced by almost half in two years, according to Mr Manning – which coincides with the three-year programme.

Speaking at a full council meeting on Monday (January 28), town and county councillor Richard Morris urged DTC to dip into its government allocated £73,500 New Homes Bonus money pot – as had been suggested by Mr Manning.

“It’s [The Westlands] been on the edges of Droitwich for far too long, we need to bring it into the town, and this is our opportunity,” said Cllr Morris.

He suggested ring-fencing the funds because the scheme “needs a wholehearted effort”.

Mr Manning, also speaking at the meeting, said the latest stage of the scheme is to add play equipment to district council-owned greenspace near to Droitwich High School.

He said the space has been identified as “one of the areas that is lacking with the kids”.

“We’ve developed a project, we’ve got some money that we’d like to put into it – I’d like to make a request for the council to consider coming in on that proposal,” he continued.

The total cost is estimated at around £21,000 with the district council already willing to put funds towards it and Fortis Living to be approached in the near future.

He said: “What we’d like to do there is put some new equipment in the form of football posts and goals, some very informal play equipment.

“We’re thinking boulders, tree stumps, maybe develop an orchard, maybe look at a few bits of landscaping work there.”

Cllr Morris added: “The playing area is a great initiative – the youngsters round there haven’t got many areas to play and this would support a certain age group in some area to help them play.”

Town council clerk Mark Keld said the council is currently welcoming funding applications and needs to give WDC an indication on how the money might be spent by March.