National Conference celebrates Market Towns Revitalisation Programme
The 2011 Action for Market Towns Annual Conference was held at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms. Action for Market Towns is a national charity and campaigning group; the conference is the flagship annual event for the group that supports market and small towns across the UK.
The Shropshire Story so Far...
The Event gave Shropshire council the peferect opportunity to showcase the excellent work being done through the Market Towns Revitalisation Programme.
Presentations for local members demonstrated the work that has been done in both Oswestry and Market Drayton. Officers from Shropshire council were involved in workshops throughout the conference.
A document, ' The Shropshire Story so far ' was created by Shropshire Council and Action for Market Towns, the document shows the progress Members and Officers have made in Shropshire so far. Please see the link to the document at the bottom of this page.
A more detailed report was compiled showcasing the work in all Market Towns throughout the council, is also attached.
Shropshire Council recognises the critical importance of market towns to the Shropshire economy and is committed to making them better places to live, work and visit – through:
1. The Market Towns Revitalisation Programme, and:
2. The ongoing provision of other support and services.
1. Market Towns Revitalisation Programme
Under Shropshire Council’s Market Towns Revitalisation Programme, a total of £3.5m was made available to help regenerate the county’s market towns and rural communities between.
1. Larger market towns fund
Of this, £2.5 million was made available to support the larger market towns of Bridgnorth, Church Stretton, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Oswestry and Whitchurch.
The money was available to spend on capital schemes that provided an immediate stimulus to these towns, and that helped to meet the programme objectives.
Funding was allocated to the towns according to their size, as measured by population, and as follows:
- Oswestry - £650,000
- Bridgnorth - £450,000
- Market Drayton - £425,000
- Ludlow - £400,000
- Whitchurch - £350,000
- Church Stretton - £225,000
2. Market towns capital initiative fund
A further £500,000 was made available to eleven smaller market towns throughout the county. The eleven are Shifnal, Wem, Albrighton, Broseley, Ellesmere, Highley, Cleobury Mortimer, Craven Arms, Much Wenlock, Bishop’s Castle, and Pontesbury and Minsterley.
Shrewsbury is not part of this programme, as it is already the focus of the Growth Point funding programme and the Shrewsbury Vision initiative.
Shropshire Councillors have worked with town and parish councillors and their local communities to identify and prioritise projects, which are now being developed and supported through the programme.
For more information about the activity being undertaken, follow the links for each individual town.
3. Rural challenge capital fund
In addition, a further £500,000 was made available to Shropshire’s rural communities under the rural challenge capital fund which was launched in March 2011.
This fund is now fully committed.
2. Other support for the county's market towns
The funding being made available under the market towns revitalisation programme is in addition to the services, initiatives and facilities that Shropshire Council is already providing to help support and revitalise the county’s market towns. For more information please follow the appropriate link.