First Steps

Tendring District Council’s (TDC) new regeneration company will trade under the name INTend and David Lines has been elected as Chairman.

The firm held its first board meeting on Wednesday and Councillor Lines – who is also Leader of the Council - was chosen for the new role by his fellow directors.

The directors also agreed to set up a website where all the up to date information about the company, its projects and activities will be made available to the public.

The main business of the inaugural meeting was to put in place all the various mechanisms that a limited company needs to be able to operate legally.

Mr Lines said it was very much about taking the next steps in delivering the Council’s vision under Project Tendring.

“The company is the delivery arm of the initiative and its trading name INTend emphasises that we are very serious about delivering change to benefit all of our communities across Tendring,” he said.

“We will shortly be putting in place the tools we need to do that and the company is intent upon making delivery its key focus.”

TDC established the company to lead on its behalf and deliver the major projects.

In order to achieve that the Directors agreed that INTend needs to recruit specialised staff with particular expertise in project delivery and these jobs will be advertised shortly.

They also agreed to recruit an external funding officer who would not only help secure funds for these major projects, but would also work closely with local groups and organisations to help them put together bids for funding from a range of sources - such as the Big Lottery Fund.

Mr Lines stressed that although much has been made about the company Board having its meetings in private this is usual practice for a limited company and there are many public bodies that Councillors sit on which are not open to the public.

“That does not mean that people will be excluded from what the company is seeking to achieve,” he added.

“Far from it - we will need active participation with - and an understanding of -individual communities’ needs and aspirations to make sure the big projects we deliver make a real difference.

“How we intend to do this will be clearer over the next few months as the company gets into full stride.”