Portas team nominations open
Stockport's Town Centre Business & Retail Forum is calling for nominations to make up the official Portas Pilot 'Town Team' – a recommendation made by Mary Portas as part of her high street report.
The Town Team will be responsible for shaping and running the town centre and was a key part of Stockport's successful Portas Pilot bid. It will comprise two main groups – the Town Team Board and the Town Centre Forum.
The Board will be made up of town centre representatives and politicians and will have responsibility for planning the town centre's future, delivering key projects, agreeing actions and communicating with partners and the public.
Nominations are needed for the following roles:
- Town centre resident
- Market trader
- Youth representative
- Commercial sector, via the Chamber of Commerce
- Independent trader
- Major retailer
- Food and drink
- Voluntary sector
The Forum will be a larger group including everyone within the town centre who wants to be involved, find out what's going on, have their say and meet others.
Cllr Iain Roberts, executive member for economic development and regeneration at Stockport Council, said: "The Town Team is a vital part of putting Stockport's successful Portas Pilot bid into practise. The team will have real decision-making powers and real money, as well as bringing together the people we need to transform the town centre. Together we can make Stockport the destination of choice for traders, shoppers, creatives and anyone who wants to have a great time."
Ben Poland, chairman of Stockport Town Centre Business & Retail Forum, added: "We were all delighted that Stockport was selected to be a Portas Pilot, but we now need to crack on with establishing our official Portas 'town team'. There is already a huge amount of interest and enthusiasm in the town centre – we now need to harness that and put it into action. I would urge anyone with an interest in the future of the town centre to somehow get involved – either with a nomination for the Town Team Board or by joining the Town Centre Forum."
- For more information visit www.stockport.gov.uk/portaspilot
