News | Greater Garstang Partnership Board

Greater Garstang Partnership Board : January 2024 Update

The proposals for public realm improvements were amended by the consultants in light of feedback from members of the Town Centre Working Group but some key points raised by the Group had not been addressed and the consultants were asked to take those points on board and produce a further set of proposals. As I mentioned in my previous article, these proposals will be the subject of public consultation but, given the delays, we still don’t have a date. We will make sure that the date, venue and ways of responding to the consultation are well publicised so that everyone has the chance to contribute their views.

We are still waiting for the further work on car parking for events, for larger vehicles such as coaches and motorhomes and to ensure there is sufficient car parking capacity to meet future needs and aspirations for the town centre.

Owing to unforeseen circumstances the Garstang Waves event will not now take place in March this year but will be moved back to early 2025. More details to follow in future updates.

The Board received an update on the Garstang Sports and Social Club project and welcomed the very positive developments with a revised planning application submitted and grant applications made. In addition, a Project Manager has been appointed which will help drive the project forward.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

Greater Garstang Partnership Board : December 2023 Update

We have welcomed two new members to the Board since the last meeting. Lee Gibson, Head of Business Development and Projects at Myerscough College has replaced Jackie Hough who has left the College. Lee will lead the Education and Skills Portfolio. Ryan Shiels, Chair of Garstang Chamber of Trade has replaced Laura Winnard and will lead the Business Portfolio.

Consultants have been working on the car parking and public realm aspects of the Town Centre study. There is still work needed on car parking for events, for larger vehicles such as coaches and motorhomes and to ensure there is sufficient car parking capacity to meet future needs and aspirations for the town centre.

An initial set of ideas for public realm improvements have been drafted and are now being amended in the light of feedback from members of the Town Centre Working Group. These proposals will be the subject of public consultation and, although we don’t yet have a precise date, it is likely to be in January. When the proposals do go out for consultation, please get involved by dropping into the exhibition or responding online. Further details will be announced nearer the time.

The new Carer’s Group (Community Matters) has now held its third monthly drop in session. These are held on the first Wednesday each month from 2pm to 4pm in the new community space in Garstang Methodist Church (opposite The Wheatsheaf). This is for any carer aged over 18 – it does not matter who you are caring for – this is not just a group for carers of those with dementia or for elderly relatives but for all who have caring responsibilities.

I have mentioned Garstang Glow before and this event, now renamed Garstang Waves, will take place on 15, 16 and 17 March next year. More detail to follow in future updates.

Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the festive season and for 2024.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

Greater Garstang Partnership Board : October Update

The Board has now been going for well over two years and we’ve made some changes to the Board structure to reflect experience to date. My personal thanks go to all those who have made such a valuable contribution to the Board’s work so far.

The Town Centre car parking study has looked at the availability of parking and compared it with parking numbers in “ordinary” weeks. They haven’t yet looked at what parking is needed on those days when events are being held and still need to consider parking for larger vehicles such as motorhomes and coaches.

The designers have looked at designs for public realm improvements but we are still waiting for the report. Once the report has been received a public consultation exercise will take place.

The new Carer’s Group (Community Matters) held its first drop in session on Wednesday 6 September. Those attending learned some relaxation techniques which were well received and plans were set out for the future including informational and educational talks from guest speakers, entertainment, singalongs and more relaxation sessions. If you are a carer aged over 18 please come along to the sessions which are held on the first Wednesday in each month in the new community space in Garstang Methodist Church. It does not matter who you are caring for – this is not just a group for carers of those with dementia or for elderly relatives but for all who have caring responsibilities.

Positive Footprints who are leading on the Future Aspirations programme are continuing to contact local schools over participation in the programme. The programme aims to raise the aspirations of primary school children to help them build resilience, increase confidence and begin to introduce them to the world of work.

Update reports on Garstang Spring Event and the Garstang Sports and Social Club projects will be made to the November Board meeting.

Some money from the Rural England Prosperity Fund has been allocated to work with the Canal and River Trust to improve the canal towpath but there are no firm plans at this stage for which stretch or stretches of the towpath will be improved or when the work will take place.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

Greater Garstang Partnership Board: July Update

Ian Heywood, Planning Officer (Conservation) at Wyre Council, briefed the Board on work to update the Conservation Area appraisal and to produce a new Management Plan as these were last carried out in 2007/08. This is a 2-year programme which will be completed in 2025 and public consultation exercises will take place as part of the work.

In my last update I told you about the projects which had had money allocated from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The Town Centre Study car parking study is complete, but the report has not yet been received. The consultants have instructed designers to start looking at designs for public realm improvements and a report is expected towards the end of summer. Once the report has been received a public consultation exercise will take place.

A new Carer’s Group (Community Matters) has been set up and an initial taster session was held on 12 July at Garstang Methodist Church with 26 people taking the opportunity to drop in. Regular monthly sessions starting in September will take place on the first Wednesday of every month. Look out for more information if you are interested in getting involved or taking part.

Positive Footprints who are leading on the Future Aspirations programme are currently in discussions with a number of schools over participation in the programme. The programme aims to raise the aspirations of primary school children to help them build resilience, increase confidence and begin to introduce them to the world of work.

Update reports on Garstang Glow and the Garstang Sports and Social Club projects will be made to the September Board meeting.

In my last update I reported that our area had been allocated funding from the Rural England Prosperity Fund and that some of that money would provide grants for micro and small businesses for projects which contribute to growth and/or job creation and include: diversification of farm businesses outside of agriculture; tourism, accommodation, food and drink; improved digital infrastructure for businesses.

Eleven businesses have been invited to complete a full application, the majority being located in the Garstang area. Wyre Council, with support of Lancashire County Council and Rural Futures held a Business Planning workshop in July to ensure applicants complete full application as thoroughly as possible before the deadline at the end of September. Assessments will take place in October/November with successful applicants being sent contracts in early December.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

Greater Garstang Partnership Board: June Update

In my last update I told you about the projects which had had money allocated from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the May meeting of the Board received updates on those projects.

Wyre Council had been evaluating three bids for the signature arts event and the Garstang Glow project submitted by Garstang Town Council has been allocated the money subject to further information on certain aspects of the bid.

The project will involve a sound and light event along the riverside path and in Cherestanc Square and take place in the post Christmas period (2025) to encourage people into the town for a fun outdoor adventure at a time when there is little happening. The project aims to involve local schools and organisations.

Work on the Town Centre Study began in mid-May with a parking survey. This will look at normal demand for parking but will include a market day. What it won’t cover are those times of high demand when there is some kind of event taking place in the town and we are in discussion with the consultants carrying out the work to find out how they intend to factor that in. The survey will produce a technical report for the Town Centre Working Group.

Work on setting up a Carer’s Group has begun. An initial meeting is being arranged to discuss some of the organisational and support issues – where will the group meet, which organisations will be able to offer support, how will it work, where will the Group meet etc – but it is hoped that it won’t be too long before the Group is up and running.

The money for the Future Aspirations programme (which aims to raise the aspirations of primary school children to help them build resilience, increase confidence and begin to introduce them to the world of work) hasn’t yet been signed off but work is, nevertheless, progressing with the next step being to make contact with Headteachers of primary schools in the Board’s catchment area. If you want to know more about the programme have a look at the Positive Footprints website (positivefootprints.co.uk). There is a short Testimonials video featuring a couple of our local primary schools who are already using it.

Discussions are also taking place on a project plan to support the development of Garstang Sports and Social Club with some funding.

Our area has also been allocated funding from the Rural England Prosperity Fund and the money will provide grants for micro and small businesses for projects which contribute to growth and/or job creation and include: diversification of farm businesses outside of agriculture; tourism, accommodation, food and drink; improved digital infrastructure for businesses. Wyre Council will be launching the scheme shortly.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

Greater Garstang Partnership Board: Update for March 2023

My apologies that there was no update following the January meeting but it was one I missed for personal reasons.

As there are now additional Steering or Working Group meetings for some of the projects which have been nominally allocated funding under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund we have agreed to move to a Board meeting every other month. There was, therefore, no meeting in February.

In my last update I told you that the Government had signed off our list of projects under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and that Wyre’s legal team had been going through the long list of , bit it came with a lot of terms and conditions which were attached to the money. There was a huge amount of technical detail laying out what could and what could not be done (as is always the case with Government money) and some lack of clarity in certain areas which meant going back to Government for further information and advice.

Wyre had hoped to simply pass on money for the projects we had bid for but the conditions imposed by Government simply don’t allow that and there has had to be an element of open competition for all the funding bids. Annoying and frustrating as this has been there’s nothing anyone could have done to change it and so we’ve reluctantly had to accept that this is how it is and try to make the best of it.

In terms of the projects which have been allocated money (these are all in the Regeneration Framework which can be seen on the Greater Garstang Partnership Board website) there is a signature arts event which the Board has determined would be on the theme of Garstang Glow. Unfortunately there isn’t the kind of money to put on the kind of event recently held in Morecambe but the successful event will need to deliver on this basis. There have been three bids which are currently being evaluated by Wyre Council.

There is also a scoping study looking at the Town Centre – traffic flow, pedestrian priority (not pedestrianisation), car parking, public realm (for example, seating and lighting). This will produce evidence based information on which to base next steps.

There will be a small amount of money to support the setting up of a Carer’s Group which has long been needed in the area and Wyre Council will lead on this with local support.

The Future Aspirations programme will aim to raise the aspirations of primary school children to help them build resilience, increase confidence and begin to introduce them to the world of work. The aim is to introduce it into every primary school in the Board’s catchment area.

Discussions are also taking place on a project plan to support the development of Garstang Sports and Social Club with some funding.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

Greater Garstang Partnership Board : Update for January

We cancelled our December meeting as we still hadn’t had the sign off from Government about the UK Shared Prosperity Fund proposal for funding projects. Just after we’d cancelled it the news came through that the plan had

been signed off by the government, but the sign off came with a lot of terms and conditions which Wyre’s legal team have been ploughing their way through. As with all these things, the devil is in the detail and there are still some areas that need clarification from the appropriate Government department. So, at the end of the year, we are a small step closer but we still don’t have the certainty that the projects we’ve put forward for funding will receive it.

Let’s hope we get that certainty in the new year and that 2023 will be a better one for everyone.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

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September: Projects Shortlisted for Funding

The Board didn’t meet in August as a number of people were on holiday and things go very quiet during the summer generally.

Although we now know that all the projects we put forward to Wyre Council for UK Shared Prosperity Fund monies have been shortlisted we don’t have final confirmation of which projects will get funding and how much they will get. We should have final decisions in October and can then let everyone know.

Nevertheless, we are starting to work up outline project plans and identify the possible membership of steering groups.

Following on from the presentation to the July Board meeting by Kate Gilmartin (Community Energy Investment Lead for the North West) we also discussed ideas for possible community energy schemes in our area.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

August a quiet month

Not a lot to report this month as we are still waiting to find out if we have been successful in being granted UK Shared Prosperity Fund monies for the projects we’ve put forward. It is likely to be October before we get a final decision on the funding but I am ever hopeful.

One of the projects in the Regeneration Framework is to explore setting up a Community Energy Trust. Such a Trust would look at community initiatives to reduce, purchase, manage and generate energy and we are fortunate to have expert advice available from Kate Gilmartin who is the Community Energy Investment Lead for the North West. Kate gave an interesting presentation on some of the initiatives already in place in the North West and others in development. It was particularly interesting to hear about the low carbon heat project in Chipping. Clearly, what might work for Chipping might not work for other villages of a similar size but it’s always useful to look at how these projects come about and what it takes to make them successful.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

Regeneration & Investment Framework Approved By Wyre

After a year of work developing the Regeneration and Investment Framework I’m delighted

to report that it was approved by Wyre Council’s Cabinet on 1 June. Of course, that’s not the end of anything but the beginning of the work we’ll be doing over the next few years to find the money to deliver the projects which are contained in the document.

Last month I reported that Wyre Council had been allocated some £3.9 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The Fund is for projects across Wyre with some contribution made

from Wyre’s allocation for Lancashire-wide projects. Theme leads have put forward a number

of projects which are deliverable within three years which is the timescale set by Government

and these will be considered, alongside projects put forward by the Fleetwood and Cleveleys Boards and for Poulton (where there is currently no similar Board) against the funding criteria by Wyre Council. Wyre has to submit the Investment Plan for the Fund by 1 August so there is still some work to do before we will know which of the Board’s projects will receive funding and, if so, how much.

The Board received an inspiring presentation by Lara Hurley (Head of Greenspace and Creative Design, Myerscough College) who showed us examples of creative lighting work completed by students. This gave the Board a number of ideas for public realm and possible arts projects over the next few years.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board

20 June 2022

Regeneration Framework: Your feedback and Comments

Thanks to everyone who provided comment on the final draft of the Regeneration Framework. There weren’t many comments in terms of numbers but they did result in some changes to the document.

A number of people commented on the “Pedestrian Priority along High Street”, concerned that it would prevent access for people with limited mobility. We’re not suggesting that the High Street will be pedestrianised but, rather, access for traffic would be more limited to allow for greater use of the space by pedestrians and businesses. Of course, we recognise that this will displace traffic elsewhere and that’s why we won’t be rushing into this. We’ll be working with other partners such as LCC Highways as well as local businesses and town centre users both in and out of vehicles.

Other comments related to the infrastructure improvements needed as a result of all the new house building in the area, particularly health (including dentist provision) and highways. Many Board members live and work in the area so are fully aware of these needs. Although we might all like it to be different the fact is that, in planning terms, infrastructure follows development – it doesn’t come before or at the same time. As a Board we will continue to identify and evidence need but we do not have the power to improve highways or health provision.

Another comment related to rail provision. The first consultation exercise asked local people to choose from three possible scenarios – modest incremental change, balanced ambitions for future economic growth or more significant growth and better connectivity. Each had a set of advantages and disadvantages and the majority chose the middle ground. In preparing the Local Plan (the principal planning management document which will shape Wyre borough for the period up to 2031) Wyre Council held a number of discussions with Network Rail to discuss possible improvements to the rail network including a new station at Garstang but there are currently too many constraints – it is not directly linked to the national rail network, it’s adjacent to the West Coast Main Line which is one of the busiest mixed traffic railway rail routes in Europe and it would not currently be possible to stop services at any new station on the West Coast Main Line as the section between Preston and Carlisle is “full”. That’s not to say that things won’t change in the future and the Board will make sure it keeps abreast of developments so that we can take advantage of any change in the future.

There were some comments about the retail offer and opening times and these have been noted and a number of individual comments about a specific issue which we’ve passed on to the appropriate person or organisation.

We had some good news at our May Board meeting with Wyre Council being allocated some £3.9 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The Board will be putting forward a number of projects for consideration but these can only be projects which are deliverable within three years which is the timescale set by Government.

Jan Finch

Chair, Greater Garstang Partnership Board