THE CHAIR of a board set to decide how £20m will be spent to improve Rhyl will be chosen this Thursday.
The UK Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns Initiative has seen Denbighshire receive £20m from the Levelling-Up Fund.
As part of the deal, the council must appoint a chair of a new board after the cabinet backed a report today (Tuesday) at a Ruthin County Hall meeting.
The board will then bring together community leaders, employers, the council, as well as the local MP to oversee and deliver the 10-year vision and three-year delivery plan, deciding how the money will be spent.
Speaking at today’s cabinet meeting, Denbighshire’s corporate director Tony Ward said several candidates are being interviewed for the position of chair on Thursday afternoon.
The interviewees can’t be elected members but must have the interests of the town at heart.
During the meeting, Cllr Brian Jones said it was important the community were involved in deciding how the funds would be used.
“This is an opportunity to get the community, the grassroots involved,” he said.
“You don’t have to listen to everything they say and everything they put forward, but if you can have a fruitful engagement with them, and that’s part of the vision, then everyone is in it together, and you’ve started here, and you’re bringing it along to where you are going to get with your vision, so I really can see that working if we get it right.”
He added, “If Rhyl booms, there is that ripple out effect to the rest of the county that lots of other places can benefit as well from the success that might come Rhyl’s way.”
Leader Cllr Jason McLellan added, “If Rhyl is booming, we are all booming, and we are working on Clwyd West and Ruthin as well, but today it’s about the arrangements to get the funding and the board set up for this money to come into Rhyl.”
The 10-year vision for the town must be based on the priorities of local people, setting out the town’s vision and priorities for investment, and regeneration.
The vision must incorporate the themes of safety and security; high streets, heritage and regeneration; as well as transport and connectivity.
