A RURAL regeneration officer is to be appointed by Lancaster City Council to help drive through a project which aims to revitalise the market town of Carnforth.

The council's cabinet has approved plans to recruit someone to co-ordinate the Countryside Agency's market towns initiative after Carnforth was one of a handful of towns in the North West selected to benefit from the regeneration scheme.

A key part of the co-ordinator's work would be to carry out an initial six-month health-check and to use the information gleaned to draw up an action plan for the town and the surrounding area.

Tasks will include organising community events and consultation to identify key issues to be addressed, and then reporting back to residents through newsletters.

The officer will then set out a long-term vision for the area, outlining key projects and sources of funding to implement the action plan.

As well as working on the market town initiative, the council officer would have some involvement in broader rural regeneration work including tapping into funding programmes, and working with agencies such as Business Link to encourage rural businesses and the development of tourism.

Lancaster City Council this week agreed to put £8,000 a year towards the cost of the three-and-a-half year post, to join the anticipated £20,000 funding from the Countryside Agency.

A job description of the three-year post has been drawn up, and is to be sent to the CA for approval.