THE vision of how to build a brighter future for Bury was finally unveiled this week.

Around 150 people were present for the launch of Bury's Community Strategy at Bury Town Hall's Elizabethan Suite.

The plan is the culmination of a two year consultation exercise carried out under the banner "Your Community, Your Say".

Members of the public, community groups, professionals and local area boards were all consulted on their top priorities for the town.

Ideas emerged on a whole range of issues from improving council services to cleaning up the environment and making the area attractive for businesses.

These were compiled into a vision for the borough as a whole, along with Local Community Plans for Bury East, Bury West, Tottington and Ramsbottom, Whitefield and Unsworth, Prestwich and Radcliffe. Before a packed hall on Monday (Oct 15), council leader John Byrne praised the work that had been done.

He said: "All of this activity was to get local people and community partnerships involved. This remains the most important part of the whole process.

"People like living in Bury, its people, countryside and shopping, but things can still be improved.

"Hopefully everyone can find a role to play. The key thing is partnership, without that we can't succeed."

A five-year action plan, including specific targets and ways of meeting them will now be drawn up. The work will be conducted through a new Local Strategic Partnership, feeding upon views and ideas from local area boards.

Chief executive of Bury Council Mark Saunders told the audience that the implementing the strategy would be one of his major responsibilities.

He said: "Together we can make a very positive difference in tackling issues that have been with us for a long time which tried and tested methods have been unable to deal with."

"It's now about making it happen, that is what we need to focus upon."

The strategy will be made available at local libraries and council offices, with a summary version to be posted to all households.

The seven key themes of the strategy are:

Practical ways of developing stronger community spirit, for example by boosting membership of community groups.

Improving transport services and the protecting the environment .

Finding ways to improve prospects for young and old people.

Community safety.

Health and well-being.

Improving quality and availability of council and other services.

Developing a healthier business economy.