THAME could be boosted after it was announced the way market towns are financed is set to change.
South Oxfordshire District Council has agreed that funding, subject to scrutiny, should be more locally focused.
The move signals a change in direction for the council, which for the past two years has employed a part-time market town co-ordinator.
Following the review, the cabinet agreed that the council should provide funding for Thame which would be available by way of bidding to community stakeholders and business organisations.
This will align South Oxfordshire District Council’s focus for Thame with that of Thame Town Council which is focused on the local delivery of individual projects, on a project-by-project basis.
Councillor Judith Nimmo-Smith, cabinet member for economy, property and technical services, said it was time for change.
“It had become very clear that the one-size fits all approach was no longer working for our market towns and that ideas which had proved very successful in one location were often not appropriate for the other towns,” she said.
“Over the last few months we’ve been working with town councils and partnerships to tailor an individual approach to each area which we think will make the best use of available funding.”
