Shropshire Star

Spotlight on plans for boosting economy

Detailed plans designed to boost a town's economy over the next three years will be discussed by councillors.

Published

Oswestry Town Council will discuss the draft corporate plan, which is designed to promote new businesses and encourage tourism, at a meeting on Monday.

The plan has been drawn up over the past six months and includes ideas such as promoting more start-up businesses in the town, encouraging visits by tourists and making the best use of any financial windfall from a proposed out-of-town supermarket on the former Smithfield market.

As part of the plan every service the council operates, from car parks and markets to the town cemetery and allotments has been reviewed.

Oswestry's mayor, Councillor John Gareth Jones, said: "Like all town councils we are being faced with the need to do more for less. Although we believe that we have many opportunities, we are also realistic in understanding the various threats that exist to us from government and the changing role in the county as Shropshire Council moves from service provision to commissioning.

"More is being expected of local councils such as Oswestry and we feel we are now also perhaps filling the role left by the former Oswestry Borough Council.

"Our review work over the last six months has been focused on the national and county background but more importantly on the issues being raised by our elected members and as brought out by the Oswestry 2020 Town Plan process."

One issue which has been looked at in particular detail is the windfall funding from the Smithfield development.

The plan proposes that money could be put into a community chest so that groups can suggest uses for the money which would benefit the whole town.

However, the priority for funding should be economic enhancement and the creation of jobs, the draft plan says.

And under the plan, young people will be encouraged to have more of a say in council business by increasing the role of the Youth Council and appointing Youth Champions to represent young people at council and committee meetings to give the views of younger town residents.

The meeting will be held at 7pm in the Guildhall.

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