A short film about the Glastonbury Town Deal will be streamed next week, giving local residents an opportunity to learn more about the Town Deal projects and the benefits these will bring for the local community.
The 20 minute film, which includes interviews with Glastonbury Town Deal board members and project leads, will be shown for the first time at 7pm on Thursday 9th June on the Glastonbury Town Deal Facebook page. Created by Glastonbury-based video production company Flying Tiger Productions, it will also be available to view afterwards on YouTube.
Glastonbury is one of 101 towns chosen to receive investment through the government’s Towns Fund scheme as part of its Levelling Up agenda. Set to bring £23.6m into the town, it received the highest award in the South West and one of the highest per capita in England.
Julie Reader-Sullivan, Head of Service for Planning and Growth at Mendip District Council and leader of the Support Team for the Glastonbury Town Deal, said: “The film has been created as another way for us to share information about the Town Deal projects with the local community. A number of events have been held over the past few months, including the very well-attended open day event at Glastonbury Town Hall earlier this year, but we appreciate that not everyone has been able to attend. Now they can get an overview of what the projects entail and how these are likely to benefit local residents and businesses, at a time and place that’s convenient to them.
“The interviews were conducted between February and April this year, so some of the projects have evolved a little since then, as the Business Case process has progressed. We are planning to hold another open day event for the local community later this year, by which time we’ll be able to confirm what each of the projects will look like. In the meantime, this video will give people an outline of the different projects and the benefits they will bring for the town. We hope they will be as excited as we are about this once-in-a-generation opportunity for Glastonbury.”
The detailed HM Treasury ‘Green Book’ Business Cases required by the government for each of the projects are currently being finalised by the Glastonbury Town Deal Board, individual project teams and Mendip District Council. These must be submitted to central government by the end of June at the latest, with funds being released on a project-by-project basis, as and when the individual Business Cases have been approved.
The Town Deal projects are outlined in the Glastonbury Town Investment Plan, which was developed by the Town Deal Board through engagement with key partners, businesses, community groups and Mendip District Council as the lead authority. Submitted to the government in January 2021, the Plan aims to deliver a necessary ‘levelling up’ opportunity for the town, bringing existing assets back into community use, and working with local communities to develop the spaces and resources that they want and need. The overall aim is for Glastonbury to be a sustainable, prosperous, modern town and global tourist centre, drawing on its rural landscape, history and unique legacy.
For further information, visit glastonburytowndeal.co.uk
The trailer for the new Glastonbury Town Deal film can be viewed below.
