Happy ending for Carnforth and Area Regeneration Partnership
The Carnforth and Area Regeneration Partnership (CARP) drew to a close this week when it held its final meeting and looked back with pride on what it had achieved.
The Carnforth and Area Regeneration Partnership (CARP) drew to a close this week when it held its final meeting and looked back with pride on what it had achieved.
CARP was set up in 2002 when volunteers from the local community with support from Lancaster City Council embarked on a six year mission to co-ordinate and manage the development and delivery of the Market Town Initiative (MTI), a national rural regeneration programme which was to benefit 17 North West towns.
Thanks to a £1M grant from the North West Development Agency for CARP to deliver the initiative, the partnership has seen the creation of 17 new jobs, the expansion of 9 local business, support given to 19 local community groups and an additional £1.5M invested in the local economy.
Other achievements have been the provision of a new canal boat, the drawing up of an events and festivals programme for Carnforth and the delivery of a flagship project to build a new multi-use community building named The Carnforth Hub.
At the final meeting, Ralph Henderson, Chair of CARP said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in the delivery of the MTI programme including all those project managers and organisations who made it a success.
“Special thanks also go to members of the CARP executive past and present who have contributed to the work of the partnership over the years and to the North West Development Agency who were the primary funder of the MTI Programme.”
Although the Carnforth and Area Regeneration Partnership has come to an end, the good news is that as a result of the MTI programme a new social enterprise company CARP Limited has been created which will continue to deliver regeneration activity in the area.
Commenting on the outcome of the partnership, Coun Susie Charles, cabinet member with Rural Area Portfolio said: “I am very pleased that through the successful partnership of Lancaster City Council, CARP, the MTI programme and all the committed volunteers, a new company, CARP Ltd, has been formed which will ensure the continuation of local regeneration in this area.”
Date Updated: 19/03/09