What would you do with Rasen's Â£24k?

The Hampshire Community Bank is hoped to be a safe source of loans

In a presentation to Market Rasen Town Council, Market Rasen Action Group (MRAG) outlined how residents would like to spend the £24k that is due to be returned to the town from West Lindsey District Council.

MRAG secretary June Clark - who has also just been co-opted onto town council - said removing bird droppings outside Rasen’s closed banks was a priority for many people.

Large areas of pavement outside the empty buildings are covered in mess, and residents are claiming it is making the town look ‘untidy’.

Pigeon mess outside the closed banks in Market Rasen market place EMN-180409-091005001

And residents were keen for money to be spent on advertising in newspapers and magazines to attract more market traders.

Ms Clark said: “If we can get the market revitalised, more people would come into town.”

She added more stalls would attract more people, and she thinks a free rent offer would also be helpful.

She said: “People who are not sure about having a stall could come along for a few weeks.”

Pigeon mess outside the closed banks in Market Rasen market place EMN-180409-091017001

And Ms Clark added: “It’s got to be the residents who decide what to do with this money.”

Ms Clark said people also want to see shop fronts painted, with paint offered for free if traders do the work themselves.

Other priorities included LED street lighting, sweeping brushes for shops to clean up outside their premises, more waste bins around town, and flower planters to make the town look pretty.

The £24k pot of money is cash left over from Market Rasen’s £200k Portas Pilot funding awards in 2012-13, and is due to be handed back to the town this month.

Market Rasen Business Improvement Group (MR BIG) beat off competition from hundreds of entries to secure cash in the government’s Portas Pilot project to transform struggling high streets.

But the group disbanded in 2015, and there is still £24k being held by West Lindsey District Council.

Market Rasen Town Council and ex-MR BIG members have been working for about a year to get the cash back to the town.

A new Town Centre Partnership (TCP) group will oversee where the cash is spent - and a number of residents (who have booked places) were due to be at the TCP’s first meeting yesterday afternoon (Tuesday).