Where Would You Spend £20m in Scarborough?

A new interactive map is being used to enable Scarborough residents and business have a say in how to spend £20m of regeneration money in the town.

Scarborough has £20m to spend on regeneration projects but needs to submit a plan on how to use the money in the next three months.

To help generate ideas a new interactive map has been launched where local people can click on part of the town and suggest improvements.

A new consultation called "Let's Talk Scarborough" has been launched to glean people’s views on how £20 million in funding that has been secured from the Government should be spent over the next decade

David Kerfoot is chair of Scarborough's Town Board, he says the new consultation is using both in person meetings and the new hi-tech online map.

The interactive map enables users to move around the map to pick an area they want to comment on and then drop a pin on the map.

The consultation team say:

"Once you've placed your pin, a box will appear where you can type in your thoughts, ideas, or suggestions about that specific spot. Submitted suggestions are anonymous, but they'll play a crucial role in shaping our strategy.

feel free to add more pins around the map, once you have completed it once you can complete it again. The more feedback we get, the better we can understand our community's needs and preference."

The funding under the Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns initiative has been provided to enhance safety and security in Scarborough, revive the town’s retail sector, preserve its famous heritage, and improve transportation and connectivity.

The wide-ranging regeneration plan is being led by the Scarborough Town Board and is being supported by North Yorkshire Council.

David Kerfoot - says it's the second £20m award the town has received.

The area which is being covered under the Long-Term Plan for Scarborough runs from Eastfield and Cayton to the south of the main town and up to Newby and Scalby in the north.

David says being awarded the cash is a big deal for the town.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for open to business, Cllr Derek Bastiman, who sits on the town board, said:

“We're at a crucial moment in shaping the future of Scarborough, and the input of residents and businesses in Scarborough is vital.

“With a £20 million grant from the Government's Long-Term Plan for Towns, we have a unique opportunity to improve Scarborough in ways that reflect our aspirations and address our needs.

“The public’s voice in this consultation will directly influence how we grow and change for the better.”

David Kerfoot agrees that it's really important that local people have their say on how the money should be used.

David is encouraging everyone who lives or works in Scarborough to take part.

The regeneration plan for Scarborough is set to build on previous investment in the town, including the Green Construction Skills Village and more than £500,000 in funding that is transforming the town’s cricket ground on North Marine Road.

The green skills village will build on the existing Construction Skills Village that has been operating in Scarborough since 2015.

The Construction Skills Village has trained more than 300 apprentices, worked with over 800 local small and medium-sized enterprises and secured in excess of £3.5 million of funding.

The future of first-class cricket matches in the seaside resort was secured in July last year following the completion of a half-million-pound upgrade to the famous North Marine Road ground.

Scarborough Cricket Club – with support from North Yorkshire Council and the Scarborough Town Deal Board – received a £250,000 contribution from the £20 million Towns Deal fund allocated to the coastal town to carry out repairs, improvements and upgrades to its ground.

Further funding was provided from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the club with extra funding from the council bringing the total investment to £509,627.

The £20 million in funding for the Long-Term Plan for Scarborough has been secured after the Government announced in September last year that 55 towns across the UK will benefit from a £1.1 billion investment as part of the national levelling up agenda.

Ministers unveiled the plan to provide long-term investment in towns that have been previously overlooked and often taken for granted.
The new consultation on the latest major investment in Scarborough will run until Monday, June 3.

More information about the Long-Term Plan for Scarborough, including details on public engagement sessions which will be held in person, is available at www.northyorks.gov.uk/ltps

Anyone wishing to take part in the consultation can visit https://letstalkny.commonplace.is/en-GB/map/scarborough