A PIONEERING programme which encourages residents to collaborate work with a council to save money is coming to a close.

Wigan Council’s Deal in Action is fast approaching its final destination, with a visit to Leigh scheduled from this Monday to Friday.

With so many activities to pack into the week, the council has decided to hold two weeks of action in the town, with another scheduled for the New Year.

The second week, held in January, will feature the popular Have Your Say session, which gives residents the opportunity to ask the council questions and to find out more about plans for the area.

Lord Peter Smith, leader of the council, said: “There is so much going on in Leigh and it covers such a big area that we felt it only right to have two weeks of action to ensure we cover everything and everyone.

“We do these weeks to bring everyone together, and now it is time for Leigh to see how important it is to the borough.

"As a proud Leigh resident myself I am passionate about the town and would like to see residents feel more engaged with the council and playing a part in The Deal.

“After Leigh we will have visited 19 places as part of The Deal in Action and I am very proud to end this groundbreaking programme in my hometown.

"I hope residents have learned more about the council and the services we offer since we started the programme in 2015.

“I would like to thank them for coming along and taking part and for giving us feedback and ideas about how we can improve their local area.

"Through the Deal in Action we have been able to turn some of their ideas into a reality.”

Throughout next week residents will be encouraged to find out how they can get involved in local activities and how they can work with the council to improve their communities.

There will be a number of activities to get involved with, such as the Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles-led Health Walk at Pennington Flash Country Park on Monday, which starts at 10am and ends at noon.

There will also be a community speed watch demonstration from 10.30am on Tuesday, taking place on Wigan Road close to the junction with Hulme Road, and a Greater Manchester Spatial Framework drop-in session at the Turnpike Gallery from 4pm on Thursday.

Residents are encouraged to follow Wigan Council’s social media pages on Facebook and Twitter, as all of the activities that will be taking place during both weeks will be promoted online.

A date for the second week of action in January has not yet been decided.