THIS is your moment.

People in Southampton have been urged to come up with 50 pledges that will help shape the city for the future.

Whether it is making the streets safer at night, giving children better educational prospects or planting more trees, residents are urged to make a wish to celebrate 50 years since Southampton was granted city status.

The debate is being driven by former Number 10 policy maker Matthew Taylor, who launched the idea at yesterday’s Vision 2020 summit in front of leading business and education bosses.

The Daily Echo is joining his call for the community to rally together and come up with the pledges – in the hope wishes can become reality in time for the year 2020, when the city turns 50.

The event at Southampton Solent University’s conference centre, featured talks from Jan Ward, director of Solent Local Enterprise Partnership; Barbara Compton, head of development, economy and housing renewal at Southampton City Council; Southampton Itchen MP John Denham and Solent university vicechancellor Van Gore.

TV personality and newsreader Fred Dinenage, honorary doctor of media 2012, was the compere.

Miss Ward urged business leaders to capitalise on regional growth and single growth funds to aid the city’s development, which will inevitably lead to increased investment in the future.

She said: “At the moment we have £40m. We need to have your projects in. This money has started to come through and if you are successful and spend it there will be more to spend.”

The event included a short film created by Southampton Solent University students where members of the public gave their opinions of the city. These ranged from pride of its Premier League football team and shopping facilities, but also raised the need for better city centre accessibility and night time safety in parks.

During his presentation Mr Taylor, chief executive of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce, urged the city to move away from modesty and embrace change.

He said: “On the whole we are pretty moderate, realistic people, who broadly share a definition of a good society that includes fair chances and dignity for all, freedom and respect for the rule of the law, a balance of shared values and tolerance of difference, of private financial security and a high quality, public sphere.

“We need to enable people to be the people they need to be to create the future they say they want.”

He urged schools to work together to strengthen vocational opportunities to pupils; landowners to open up more of the waterfront and those promoting big events to work together so each one adds to the overall image of the city.

The Daily Echo Pledges

THE Southern Daily Echo is among the first to pledge a trio of commitments to mark the 50th anniversary of the city in the spirit of looking to a positive future for its residents, those who  work here, and visitors.

1 The publication of a quarterly 20/20 Vision magazine-style supplement emphasising future projects and progress in the city. These would appear as part of the Southern Daily Echo and also as standalone publications to ensure a wide readership. An online version would be regularly up-dated and both online and in paper the Daily Echo would carry regular 20/20 Vision update articles.

2 A commitment to presenting a positive image of the city wherever possible – good news. The paper would maintain it already does this, but the commitment would be to not only highlight positive news with better emphasis but to also invite readers, politicians, developers and all those with an interest in the city’s future to help us create a true feel-good factor.

3 To engage with the citizens of Southampton, be they residents, employed in the area or visitors from the surrounding region, to hear what they want for their city, where their priorities lie and what their pledge wishes would be. We would commit to ensuring the voices of residents were heard by those in positions to act.

WE WANT YOUR PLEDGES

THE Daily Echo wants readers to send in their ideas that will form 50 commitments to help shape
Southampton’s future by 2020. We will put together a pledge book featuring every commitment we receive. They will be analysed by key figures in the Vision 2020 initiative and could be  included in the final 50 pledges.

Send your ideas to Daily Echo reporter Rory McKeown either by post or e-mail. Post them to Rory McKeown, Southern Daily Echo, Newspaper House, Test Lane, Redbridge, Southampton, SO16 9JX, or by e-mail – rory.mckeown@dailyecho.co.uk.