Keighley Towns Fund Seeks Board Members

The board in charge of an ambitious multi-million pound plan to regenerate Keighley is looking for a new Chair and for new members.

As part of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda, Keighley was awarded £33.6m via Towns Fund for its Town Investment Plan in 2021, and has since has been allocated up to £20m to deliver a Long Term Plan.

The Keighley Towns Fund board is hoping to recruit volunteers who can use their skills and local knowledge to deliver these plans which will improve the town centre, boost local infrastructure, provide jobs and training opportunities, as well as bringing wider cultural and social benefits to the town and local area. Though projects such as the major industrial hub at Providence Park are now in delivery stage for the Keighley Towns Fund, the Long Term Plan is in its infancy.

The new board - which will be called the Town Board going forward - will deliver both plans and will be made up of representatives from local businesses as well as charitable and voluntary organisations, with support from Bradford Council.

Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Transport and Planning Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw said: “The Keighley Towns Fund board is already successfully delivering some excellent work. With the additional funding through the Long Term Plan, the vision for Keighley will now be developed further and this will of course take previous plans for the town into consideration.

“To meet the purposes of both the Keighley Towns Fund and the Long Term Plan, we need to ensure the right people are around the table to fully reflect the priorities of the town. The Town Board is looking to fill key skills and expertise that contribute to the strategic decision-making and implementation process.”

Acting Chair of the Keighley Towns Fund Board Liz Barker said: “We’re incredibly fortunate to have a really capable group of people currently on the board who give up their time voluntarily to help us deliver these exciting projects, which will have such a positive impact on the area.

“We’re looking for more enthusiastic people to join us with expertise in one or more of the following areas - funding strategies, urban regeneration, community representation, risk management, inclusivity and diversity, and sustainability.”

Meetings take place quarterly, both online and face to face. For a confidential conversation please contact townsfundkeighley@bradford.gov.uk

If you are interested in joining the board, either as a board member, chair of the board or vice chair, please complete the application form and submit to: townsfundkeighley@bradford.gov.uk by 13 March 2024.

More information is available on the Keighley Towns Fund pages.