Head of board responsible for delivering £20 million of Ashton funding named

A TAMESIDE business leader is set to be given the job of making sure another £20 million of funding for Ashton-under-Lyne can be delivered properly.

Phill Brown MBE, chairman of Benchmark Building Supplies, is the preferred choice to be the head of the Ashton Town Board after the Government decided it would be one of 55 areas around the country to receive the money under the Long-Term Plan for Britain’s Towns.

If a proposal put forward to Tameside Council’s meeting of its executive cabinet on Wednesday, February 14 is agreed, he will head a panel responsible for making sure those funds- which are separate to the Levelling Up sum awarded to Tameside Council – will be spent in the right way.

Ashton MP Angela Rayner is also set to be on it, along with three local councillors, including one opposition member.

A senior representative from the police will also be on it, along with a selection of other figures from around the town, which can include school and faith leaders, as well as arts and sporting organisations.

The board will be responsible for identifying issues and priorities to focus on and working with Tameside Council on developing a town plan, which will include a 10-year vision and three-year investment scheme.

It can also pinpoint opportunities to bring in additional investment.

The board has until August 1 to draw up and deliver its intentions on how it would use the £20 million, which will be delivered in a 10-year endowment-style fund, with 75 per cent as capital and 25 per cent revenue.

On April 1, the Government will release the next £200,000 to support the development of the long-term plan, including additional community engagement activity.

According to Government papers: “The Town Board’s 10-year vision should be a long-term, strategic document.

“It should be backed by insights gained through engagement with local people, to create buy-in with the public.

“It should include a 250-word vision statement that articulates, at a high level, the vision for the future of the town and how success will be judged, the strategic case for change, the outcomes and objectives the town is trying to meet and how these align with the priorities of the local community, including what local people think needs fixing.

“The planned direction of travel for the regeneration of the town, across three investment themes. It should detail the interventions that are available to achieve this. Clear evidence that the town board is community led, including through its membership, ways of working and distinction from the local authority, and evidence of buy-in from local businesses, civil society and communities.

“How the town board will attract and combine new and existing private, public and philanthropic investment, setting out the existing commitments and ambitions to secure further support going forwards.”

In terms of the shorter-term forecast, the town board has been told it should look outside local and central Government to achieve it aims.

These are grouped under three general themes -safety and security, high streets, heritage and regeneration and transport and connectivity

Papers add: “We strongly encourage town boards to work with the local authority and other partners to consider how additional funding can be attracted from other sources.

“This could include new private investment, philanthropy or other public funding, particularly where there is scope for partnership working between bodies or agencies.

“We encourage town boards to think creatively about what solutions will deliver the desired outcomes.”