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Whenever autumn comes around, it always seems a very short season – so much to pack in to a few short months and then it’s almost winter. It feels that way with all that’s been happening at Yore Vision over the past few weeks- lots going on with little time to do it in. I mentioned in my last column that we were looking forward to welcoming Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward – which we did and it was a great visit on 13th September. Firstly, Tom, who hails from Northallerton, met with students at Broughbridge High School and congratulated the new Head Boy and Head Girl on their recent appointments. Then, the team took him on a tour of some of the projects that we are currently working on. It was good to discuss with a key decision-maker – if not the key individual on a regional basis –some of the challenges of sustainable regeneration in a market town. One of the things that really impressed the Yore Vision team was the emphasis that Tom put on what he called “Team Yorkshire” – his vision that all the agencies, statutory bodies and local authorities should be working in tandem and leveraging their scales and budgets to achieve great things together. Now wouldn’t that be something, particularly when sometimes you can’t get local authorities to connect across their functions, let alone 7 or 8 partner agencies trying to link up on projects and objectives! Last week, we held our Youth Stakeholder Conference where 28 representatives of stakeholder organisations came to hear the voices of young people of the Lower Ure Valley on what it is like growing up in a market town in 2006.Now before, the cynics say that we have been here before and nothing will be achieved just by holding a conference, nothing could be further from the truth. There is now a growing sense that we won’t achieve everything overnight and that the achievement of real solutions involving the young people in making the decisions will take some time. That said, what shone through at the conference was a real commitment from those involved at the sharp end of service delivery to young people – whether through our new dedicated Youth service from NYCC or the Leisure Centre team at the Boroughbridge Leisure Centre. There was also shown commitment from local parish and town councils to get involved and make a difference. My thanks in particular to Lee Corner from our consultants MBED , who facilitated all the views at the end of some fairly heated debate and to Brian Cross from ArtiMedia, who produced the podcasts and technology that helped present our young people’s views to the delegates. One of the projects that will be key is linked around enterprise week in mid-November, when NYBEP and other agencies will be facilitating an Enterprise Challenge at Boroughbridge High School, with a potential link up with the local Chamber of Trade- which should bring an added dash of entrepreneurship to that which already exists in Boroughbridge. Before I end, something for all ages of our readers. As you know, if you read this column regularly, the St James Square Improvement Project aims to carry out
design-based environmental improvements to the Square and its environs
to enhance the centre of Boroughbridge and create an accessible,
well-planned, visually attractive and sustainable focal point for the
community. The project group from Yore Vision is hoping to secure some
funds through Yorkshire Forward's Rural Target Fund to contribute
towards the first phase of improvements. This will involve small-scale
capital works to improve the square, including new benches, planters and
attractive lighting to enhance the visual appearance of the centre of
the town and encourage more people to use and enjoy the square. It is
anticipated that the agreed works being carried out later this year.
This consultation session is an opportunity for people in Boroughbridge
and the surrounding area to have their say.
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