The Stratford Town Centre Strategic Partnership is a group made up of various representatives from decision-making bodies in the town, such as councils and business groups, and aims to help make the town as attractive as possible for residents, businesses, and tourists.
Here, Sarah Summers, the Town Clerk of Stratford-upon-Avon, explains what the partnership is all about and what it aims to achieve for the town:
"Originally, the Strategic Partnership was created on the back of the Stratford Neighbourhood Plan, which sets out a vision for how the town will develop in the future.
"When Stratford's Neighbourhood Plan was approved, part of the plan said a Strategic Partnership had to be formed to help oversee the plan's delivery.
"What the plan didn't say, however, was which groups should sit on the Strategic Partnership, and indeed, who should lead it.
"There are numerous organisations in Stratford-upon-Avon that all influence what happens in the town, but they all have different responsibilities.
"You have democratically-elected public bodies such as Warwickshire County Council, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, and Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council, as well as groups including Stratforward which represents the town's businesses, and registered charities such as Stratford Town Trust which give grants to help fund projects for the benefit of the town.
"One of the downsides of having so many groups is that decision-making for the town can sometimes be disjointed.
"We wanted to make sure the Strategic Partnership had senior representatives from each of these key organisations so all of them could communicate their thoughts with each other easily, and that no-one is kept out of the loop when it comes to improving the town.
"Although all groups have equal weight on the Strategic Partnership, the onus was on Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council to facilitate it. Geraldine Collinge, Director of Creative Placemaking and Public Programmes at the Royal Shakespeare Company was appointed Chair.
"So far, the partnership has worked very well. One of the first major projects we have acted on is the planned improvements to Bridge Street and High Street.
"We all got around the table - virtually, at least - and discussed the merits of particular ideas to improve the two streets before instructing consultants PJA to draw up an initial design.
"This was then used as a basis for Warwickshire County Council, who sit on the Strategic Partnership, to put in a bid for Levelling Up funding from the government to help fund the transformation of the streets.
"Our discussions almost function like a pre-planning application - we discuss the merits and drawbacks of particular ideas before coming to an informed decision.
"Of course, the public will still be able to have their say on Bridge Street and High Street before any plans are set in stone and any changes are made.
"We hope the Strategic Partnership will help make every idea in the Neighbourhood Plan better informed before it becomes a reality.
"As the town recovers from the impact of COVID-19 - which hit Stratford particularly hard due to its reliance on tourism and the arts - it is crucial future improvements to the town centre are as good as they can possibly be.
"By collaborating in this way through the Strategic Partnership, new schemes outlined in the Neighbourhood Plan will be highly-informed and joined up before the public has a chance to contribute and formal planning applications are considered.
"Ultimately, the Strategic Partnership is there to show every major organisation is working together towards the goal of making Stratford-upon-Avon a desirable place to work, live, and visit - and invest in - as we head into the future."
