REGENERATION project Clitheroe the Future has appointed a new officer to co-ordinate its plans to regenerate the town and surrounding areas.

Andrew Swarbrick, 34, from Preston, took up the post this week and one of his first tasks will be to set out an Action Plan for the future, based on the findings of a recent local Healthcheck survey, as well as strengthening links with local groups in Clitheroe as well as in Longridge and Whalley.

Andrew has a sound background in regeneration and has worked for the Groundwork Trust and for an inter-mediate labour company on Merseyside looking at employment initiatives for young people. He has also had experience of bringing in European funding.

He said: "Most of my experience while on Merseyside was working with urban regeneration and there are a lot of cross-overs from that of initiatives that can be developed here in Clitheroe. What most attracted me was being able to change over from urban to rural regeneration."

He added: "I am looking forward to working with all the partner agencies in Clitheroe and beyond, including Ribble Valley Borough Council, Clitheroe Town Council and the Countryside Agency, and, of course doing a lot of networking with local groups."

Keen walker Andrew, who lives with his wife and son, five in Bamber Bridge, had visited Clitheroe on many occasions before taking up the post.

He said: "I spent many hours walking around the Trough of Bowland, Clitheroe and Longridge, when I was younger and the area is certainly an attractive place to work."

His role will also include co-ordinating and developing participation in the Countryside Agency's Market Town Initiative Programme and to develop local and regional networks and partnerships by prioritising contact with several Ribble Valley partnership working groups, including Ribble Valley Regeneration Partnership, Longridge Partnership & Whalley Partnership, and with Ribble Valley Borough Council and the Trinity Community Partnership.

His predecessor, Richard Jackson, will stay on until the end of March to show Andrew the ropes.

Andrew added: "One of my first tasks will be to devise a questionnaire from information gathered in the recent Healthcheck survey, which will be sent out to local residents, with copies available at Clitheroe library and the Tourist Information Centre, looking in particular at business and shopping."

Clitheroe the Future was set up in April last year and is part-funded by the Countryside Agency's Regeneration Initiative, Ribble Valley Borough Council, Clitheroe Town Council and the Longridge Partnership, as well as private funding.

Andrew's appointment follows Clitheroe Town Council's decision to fund Clitheroe the Future's activities for the next financial year with a grant of £2,000.

Clitheroe the Future's Geoffrey Jackson said: "We are very grateful to the council for helping to fund Clitheroe the Future. The work of the group in helping to regenerate Clitheroe and the surrounding area, through the Countryside Agency's Market Town Regeneration programme, should have significant long-term benefits."