Would you like to see improvements in our town?

Or are you content with it as it is?

I have argued for a long time that a lot more thought, planning and action is needed to improve our town. Some years ago I wrote a blog post about the danger that Formby, in common with most other towns, was becoming a clone town. 

Some years ago, Cllr Mike Coles and I on behalf of Formby Parish Council submitted a bid to become a Portas Town, sadly we were unsuccessful. 

The Portas Review described a vision for bringing economic and community life back into high streets and town centres, re-imagining them as social hubs for shopping, learning, socialising and fun. It made 28 recommendations about how to deliver that vision intended to:

• Get town centres running like businesses.
• Get the basics right to allow businesses to flourish.
• Level the playing field.
• Define landlords’ roles and responsibilities.
• Give communities a greater say. (My emphasis)

(Source: Recent article about the Portas Review - last edited 19 August 2020)

Thankfully there are still voices raising and campaigning for these ideas. Have a look at this video, it's only 10 minutes of your time, but it is full of relevant ideas for a whole town like Formby.

In my view, the COVID-19 crisis is the time to revisit these ideas. Do you want to be involved? I know that there is a hardy band of enthusiastic citizens of Formby who have a vision and are looking for like-minded residents of Formby.

It is time to #ImagineFormby renewed.