What is a Coastal Communities Team?
A Coastal Communities Team (CCT) is a local partnership consisting of the local authority and a range of people and business interests from a coastal community, who have an understanding of the issues facing that area and can develop an “effective forward strategy for that place”.
Coastal Community Teams should develop a plan for making improvements to costal areas, including:
- Enhancing the attractiveness and accessibility of public areas,
- Providing increased community facilities,
- Promoting the visitor economy,
- Encouraging sustainable uses of heritage/cultural assets, and
- Creating links to support the growth and performance of the retail sector.
What can CCTs do?
CCTs are expected to produce an economic plan for the area, that should contain information on the needs of the area and the challenges it faces, particularly with respect to the local economy along with the actions that the Team has agreed should be prioritised to help address those challenges. The plan should set out identified means of delivering the actions, such as possible sources of funding and support, or the further work which is needed to develop solutions. The plan for the area should be published by the end of January 2016.
What area is covered?
The CCT is focussed on West Bay but will also cover Bridport town centre.
Who set up the Bridport and West Bay CCT?
The Government invited coastal areas to apply for £10,000 funding to establish a CCT. The application to establish the Bridport and West Bay CCT was made with the support of a number of stakeholders: Bridport Town Council, Bridport Local Area Partnership, Bridport Area Development Trust, Bridport & District Tourism Association, Bridport Chamber of Trade and Commerce, West Bay Community Forum and West Dorset District Council.
The application was successful and the CCT established.
How does it work?
Under the terms of the grant, West Dorset District Council has to be the accountable body for the funding. The CCT has been set up as an advisory body to the Town Council.
The membership of the CCT is:
- Bridport Town Council
- Bridport Local Area Partnership
- Bridport Area Development Trust
- Bridport & District Tourism Association Bridport Chamber of Trade and Commerce
- West Bay Community Forum
- West Dorset District Council
- Representatives from Burton Bradstock and Symondsbury Parish Councils Dorset County Council
What are the Benefits of a CCT?
The successful establishment of a CCT and Economic Plan will ensure that the area is in a good position to bid for future funding from regional and national funding schemes, aimed at supporting coastal areas.
Some of the funding will also be used to deliver of small environmental improvement projects in West Bay. Click below to view the Economic Plan which sets out the area’s economic priorities.
Find out more about the Coastal Communities Alliance
You can also contact Will Austin, Bridport Town Council, 01308 456722,
[email protected]