Iain Taylor the newly-appointed chair of the Rawtenstall Town Board
A Rossendale-based management consultant has been appointed Rawtenstall’s Town Board Chairperson by the borough council.
Iain Taylor, managing director of Crawshawbooth-based IMT Consulting, will now work with the council to create a Town Board for Rawtenstall and its immediate surrounding area after it was selected by the Government to receive £20million over the next 10 years as part of the Long-Term Plan for Towns initiative.
The Town Board will be made up of local community leaders, business owners, social enterprise representatives, councillors, council officers, the town’s MP and a representative of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
As a management consultant Iain advises clients on the financing and implementation of property development projects, economic partnership programmes and environmental innovation projects.
Of his appointment he said: “I am delighted, honoured and excited for the future. The Town’s Board has the capability, responsibility and resources to set an exciting and ambitious plan for Rawtenstall and surrounding area and develop a fantastic programme of investments delivered over the long term to help make Rawtenstall – and Rossendale – an even better place to live, work and visit.”
He added: “I share the passion and affection many people have for Rawtenstall and the wider area. The sense of community is strong, vibrant and proud – the support, energy and time people give to help make the place a success is clear and abundant – whether it be the market, the Whitaker, the Civic Pride, the heritage railway, or the service in the cafes and restaurants. There is a fantastic community dedicated to making the place the best it can be.
“Rawtenstall enjoys a privileged position relative to Manchester and we need to maximise this with improved transport connections but also show that Rossendale is a viable location to develop a business and to attract entrepreneurs.”
Councillor Alyson Barnes, leader of Rossendale Borough Council, said: “Our Town Board will drive the priorities for investment, take on responsibilities for making change, and steer the long-term vision for the Rawtenstall and the immediate surrounding area hand-in-hand with local people.
“A submission of the Long-Term Investment Plan must be in place by the beginning of November to release some of the funding.”
Iain spelled out that it wasn’t only his and the town board’s views that would impact on the future of Rawtenstall.
He said: “I’m very interested to hear from local people what their ideas are and I hope early in the planning phase we can open up to understand what their views are so that the plan is anchored in the values, ideas and ambitions of local people.”
Married with two children, Iain is also chair of the Whitaker Museum and director of Rossendale Leisure Trust.
Rawtenstall was selected by the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities for the investment in March based on a series of metrics. The board must be established by the beginning of June giving it time to develop a long-term plan to regenerate the town based on the priorities of local people.
Around the UK 75 towns, including Burnley, Blackburn and Accrington, have now been chosen to take part in the initiative.
The endowment-style funding over 10 years is to be spent on issues that matter to local people under three themes of infrastructure, town centres and safety.
Previously, Iain led the consultancy input to the recently approved Liverpool City Region Life Science Investment Zone assembling and securing approval to £160million of new investment in the LCR Health and Life Science sector and the Liverpool City Region Freeport.
He was also part of the team that prepared the Atlantic Gateway concept and works to promote collaboration between public sector partners on key strategic initiatives.
Iain has supported the development of several major projects, including SINA Medical Glass, Glass Futures, MediaCityUK, Liverpool2 Container Port, Port Salford, City of Salford Stadium and several major road schemes and strategic green infrastructure projects.