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Simple Simon

Oswestry Town Team World Cafe

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I attended the consultation last night. This is what it was all about:

 

Oswestry Town had applied for support from the Mary Portas review of town centres but was unsuccessful, however, they have managed to get £10,000 to improve the town centre. The idea was to put in place a "Town Team" to identify "what suits Oswestry".

 

The scheme was a joint economic venture between Shropshire Council (they were in suits), Oswestry Town Council and Oswestry Chamber of Commerce. However, funding streams are more available to community bodies rather than local authorities, so part of the consultation concentrated on how to get different groups talking to each other, forming connections and generating ideas.

 

I might have mentioned Community Online as an example of a forum linking up three villages that share ideas and get individuals and groups talking to each other, and it was taken on board as an option. Someone did mention that "not everyone is online" and another said any new forum should be part of the Oswestry Town Council website (did I mention there were a lot of town councillors present?).

 

"Project North" was presented by Stewart Thomas, Planning Manager of Shropshire Council. He mention trying to get groups communicating with each other, talking to the owners of unused shops but not trying to impose development.

 

Kate Garner of Shropshire Council set a number of quetions for attendees to answer that would give them some pointers as to how the £10,000 should be spent:

 

  • How can we improve communication (between individuals and groups - should it be virtual or hardcopy?) and be inclusive?
  • How do we promote and develop the town as a whole place (what is its USP)?
  • What do we need as far as street scape (pedestrian/car/cycle) is concerned?
  • How will it be managed?

I heard someone mention that street furniture should be cleaned or removed. I must say I couldn't help mentioning the traffic free route a couple of times. The results of the Oswestry2020 consultation won't be made available until April. It was a good opportunity to do some networking, but I do feel that £10,000 isn't going to make a big difference to the town, and I do get frustrated with people who talk down the internet as a tool for consultation (and even actual physical change)...sheesh!

 

The new Centre in Oak Street (replacing the old North West Centre) is very impressive, but there is a design fault: The building is one of these fashionable glass structures letting in plenty of natural light from street level windows, and during some presentations some kids outside thought it would be fun to tap on the windows constantly.

 

Notes to architect: FUNCTION FIRST, design second.

Edited by Simple Simon

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That was interesting and thank you for going! especially in the weather we have been having. I must admit I don't think £10,000.00 is going to get Oswestry very far, What we actually need are some stores to want to come to Oswestry and invest in it's future but with rents so high it's not easy. We could do with a new clothes store and shoe store as Stead & Simpson is closing down and don't know about you but Clarks are rather expensive and do not have a lot of choice.

 

Anyway wait to hear of any updates.

 

Thanks again for letting us know.

Laura

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@ Laura: No problem.

This is just an observation:

2013 - Oswestry Town Council and Shropshire Council have £10,000 to spend on encouraging people to use local town shops.

2011 - Oswestry Town Council and Shropshire Council approve a £45 million development of an out of town retail park.

Discuss (because it wasn't on the agenda last night)...

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