A TOWN mayor plans to bring a cross section of the community together to work towards a regeneration of the centre of Carterton.

Lynn Little wants to form a working party that meets regularly to discuss the best way to enhance and grow the town centre.

She is urging enthusiastic members of the community to come forward and offer their support following concerns over empty shops and a desire for new types of business in the town.

In forming the new group, which has been branded Vision for Carterton’s Town Centre, Mrs Little aims to gather a varied group of people from different age groups.

Mrs Little said: “What we need is a variation of ages. What do mothers and children want to see?

"What do teenagers want to see? What do young people want to see? What to senior citizens want to see?

“I’ve gone out to get a cross-section of the community because from past experience I believe that’s what we need.

"If we want to regenerate the town centre it’s about the people who live here – it’s their thoughts and how they want to see it grow.”

As well as a range of ages, Mrs Little also wants to see people from different backgrounds get involved with the project, including servicemen and women from RAF Brize Norton.

She said: “We don’t only want people in the town but from the RAF as well. "They’re living here and we want them to spend money in the town – so let’s hear their thoughts as well.”

The calls to regenerate the town centre follow concerns over struggling businesses – as well as a lack of eateries and a night time economy.

Mrs Little said the council and residents are restricted in terms of their influence on new businesses in the town due to private landlords, another group the mayor wants to engage with.

She continued: “I would love to hear from them about how we can help put the right tenants in shops.”

The group, which has already received interest from people around the town, will meet at the town hall regularly.

Mrs Little hopes to ultimately form working group of about 20 people from a cross section of the community.

It is understood that West Oxfordshire District Council is supporting the project and that an officer will attend meetings.

Those interested in joining the working group should contact Scott Edwards on sedwards@carterton-tc.gov.uk or 01993 842156, who will co-ordinate the responses.

It is hoped the first meeting will take place at the end of September.