Although we have not had any large public consultations in the last few months, we have been very busy behind the scenes and remain fully committed to maximising improvements to Arbroath and serving the local community.
The Arbroath Town Board has been working diligently to progress the funding ideas which were gathered from the public consultations last year.
As part of this commitment, we have been progressing plans for a large number of design workshops to drive forward the community’s funding ideas. We expect these to commence towards the end of April and continue to early summer.
Each of these workshops will be advertised and promoted well in advance to encourage maximum community attendance and engagement. We encourage you to take part and help refine the vision for Arbroath’s future.
A major milestone in our journey was the recent visit from Alex Norris MP, Minister for Local Growth and Building Safety in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the person in charge of the £20m funding for selected UK towns.
We invited Alex to witness first-hand the display boards highlighting the extent of community engagement carried out last year and huge potential of Arbroath. His visit was a significant moment for our town, as he saw for himself what securing the funding could mean for those who live, work, and visit our town.
His response was overwhelmingly positive. So much so that he has gone on record in both the House of Commons and the national press, recognising the exemplary efforts of our town board in preparing for this funding opportunity. Arbroath was one of the last towns to be considered for funding, and now, we are recognised by the government as the No 1. exemplar town out of 75 towns for the funding initiative.
We are proud to announce the formation of a Youth Town Board. The younger generation are the future foundation of the town and they need to have a voice in shaping the town’s future. This initiative ensures that their perspectives and ideas are heard.
The Arbroath Town Board has been liaising with the various charities across the town and researching the possibility of a centralised charity hub at the Old and Abbey church. This has many potential benefits for both the charities and the people utilising them. We will outline these possibilities at future public engagement events.
We are also actively developing an alternative proposition for the community centre. Our goal is to provide the people of Arbroath with choice and a say in how the building is used to best serve the needs of the community. If you would like to be involved or participate as a potential user of an upgraded community centre, please get in touch via [email protected].
There is much work still to be done, but with your continued support and engagement, we are making great strides. The momentum is building, and together, we can ensure that Arbroath secures the bright and prosperous future it deserves.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our town. We look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming workshops.
