Bude Coastal Communities Team is committed to establishing Bude as a leading business hub for North Cornwall and the aim of this meeting was to establish stronger links with the business sector, seeking their involvement and support to help fund the appointment of a project manager to lead on funding applications for the town.
Originally formed three years ago, the Bude Coastal Community Team (BCCT) was re-structured and strengthened in 2018. BCCT is one of around 150 coastal community teams in England and its mission is to secure economic, social and environmental benefits for the area. An essential aspect of all coastal community teams is a three-way partnership involving local authorities, businesses and the ‘third sector’ i.e. community organisations and volunteers.
The audience heard how, having already established links with local organisations, BCCT has built excellent collaborative relationships with both Bude-Stratton Town Council and Cornwall Council.
After the welcome from BCCT chair Paul Tilzey, North Cornwall MP Scott Mann outlined some of the opportunities for business development through the Local Growth programme. This was augmented by Adam Paynter, Cornwall Council leader, and the support available from the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Cornwall Council has identified ‘10 opportunities’ — industry sectors where advice, support and funding is available to businesses.
A highlight of the meeting was the announcement by Cllr Paynter of a £5,000 grant to BCCT from Cornwall Council, with a pledge that if matched funding was provided by local businesses, a further £5,000 would be available.
Other key speakers included Tim Bagshaw (LEP), Bob Willingham, Bude-Stratton mayor, and Linda Winstanley, chair of Bude Tourist Board, plus Andrew Finley, Sean Collins-Powell and Ian Saltern from BCCT. The afternoon ended on a high note with a pledge of a further £1,000 from the tourist board and an unnamed supporter offering to top up contributions from other business sponsors, recognising that it will be an investment in Bude’s future prosperity.
Further meetings are being planned in the coming weeks, to promote awareness of BCCT and increase engagement with the local community. The momentum building up from the collaboration of local councils, businesses and voluntary group is encouraging.
This was emphasised by Paul Tilzey, who said: “Bude stands on the threshold of a fantastic era in our history. Its popularity is greater than ever, and we must all work to harness this potential. However, there’s a limit to what can be done by volunteers, so being able to employ a project manager will significantly change what we can achieve.”
He added: “We have a range of projects we are keen to advance, and funding sources are available. We just need the manpower to do this work and we all will benefit, making Bude a better place to live, work and to visit. I call upon the local business community to get behind this exciting initiative and help us build a sustainable legacy for the future.”
He expressed thanks to An Mor Hotel for providing the venue for the meeting and tea and coffee.
More information about BCCT is available from its website (www.budecoastalteam.org.uk) or its Facebook page, or by emailing the BCCT single point of contact, John Gimson ([email protected]).
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