COLEFORD AREA MARKET AND COASTAL TOWNS INITIATIVE PARTNERSHIP
The Partnership was set up after securing funding in 2002 from HM Government to carry out consultation with the general public and to prepare a Strategic Plan for the regeneration of the town and its surrounding area.
This plan was intended to reflect the aspirations of the people who live, work and have an interest in the development of the area.
It needs to be born in mind that the Forest of Dean had suffered badly through the loss of industry. In the 1960s there was plenty of work at Rank Xerox also at Gloucester where British Nylon Spinners (later to become Dupont) provided free transport to work before moving to Wales. Locally the construction industry lost many skilled workers who could earn high wages as unskilled workers indoors. International changes resulted in Rank Xerox moving its interests to the near continent and overall industry was moving to areas easier to reach from the motorway systems.
Coleford Town Council had already carried out consultations around the parish in 1993 so was in a good position to apply for this funding which had to be undertaken through an independent body. The Partnership was set up with a constitution in order to meet this requirement and was able to use the services if a consultant to assist with this. All four Forest of Dean Towns where granted this status and work on the Coleford Area MCTi Partnership submitted its Strategic Plan “Time for Coleford” on 18th November 2003.
The government of the time had set up the regional Development Agencies, the relevant one for us being the South West Region Development Agency (SWRDA) which operated out of Bristol. The intention of these agencies was to work with the communities to secure funding to assist in the delivery of these plans.
The two concerns that attracted the most interest in the area were the intended closure of the Coleford Youth and Community Centre and sale of the site, also the lack of extra care housing for the elderly. Thanks to SWRDA, the Partnership has been able to be involved in the creation of the Main Place and Dora Matthews House on the old Bank Street site.
The Strategic Plan “Time for Coleford” examines all the concerns raised and has categorised these, listing proposals in order of importance.
In August 2006 the Partnership became a Company limited by guarantee with charitable objects.