A NEW town team aiming to address problems with Clitheroe town centre has been launched with council backing.

The new group, which will be independently chaired by St Mary Magdalene reverend Andy Froud, met for the first time on Wednesday.

It has the backing of Ribble Valley Borough Council, Clitheroe Town Council and Clitheroe Chamber of Commerce and will hold its next meeting in February.

At the meeting, members discussed issues including pavements, local pubs, business rates and housing.

Revd Froud said: “This new team has been set up to discuss the future of Clitheroe and to promote joined up thinking between the various bodies in the town. The focus will be on the centre but we will also be looking at the town as a whole because you can’t look at one without looking at the other.

“We all agreed that Clitheroe is a great place to do business and that it should be promoted as a place with great investment potential.

“The exact priorities of the group will be debated at the next meeting.

“We want the public to come forward with their suggestions on what could be improved about the town centre.”

Ribble Valley Borough councillor, Ged Mirfin, who is chairman of C-TAG, a town economic team set up last year, said: “I will be a member of this group and will not be closing down C-TAG.

“It will conduct research on issues in the town centre and will report to the new team.

“I believe that this new team actually enhances C-TAG instead of making it redundant.

“It was a positive meeting and it was good to get all the different bodies together to try and make a difference.

“I’m optimistic for the future of Clitheroe.”