Town teams team up (From Northwich Guardian)

Town teams team up

8:30am Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Gina Bebbington

TWO groups have found a way to work together for the good of Northwich.
Traders set up Northwich Town Team in April when they became frustrated with a lack of action from the town council.
Northwich Town Council itself said it was not dragging its feet over producing a town plan, just making sure it was working on the right thing.
It has now decided to put together a neighbourhood plan, which will cover a wider area and more issues, but councillors say the work of the Town Team will be integral to it.
Clr Derek Bowden said: “There are four of us delegated to work on the neighbourhood plan covering the whole of Northwich borough and we will have to include issues around the neighbouring parishes – there are 20 parishes that look to Northwich as a central hub for business, education and other things.
“This group considers it to be our job to encourage and support the Town Team and to incorporate the outcomes of their work.”
Clr Brian Jamieson said: “An element of the neighbourhood plan is the commercial and business centre and that work is already in hand with the Town Team.”
Clr Jamieson said the Government is providing some funding for neighbourhood plans, which the group can apply for once it has prepared the outline plan and main principles.
At a later stage more funding is available for a referendum.
Once the plan is finalised and approved it will sit alongside regional and national plans and help to shape future development.
Town councillors on the neighbourhood plan group include Clr Bowden, Clr Jamieson, Clr Kevin Rimmer and Clr Louise Hubbard.