A series of improvements to Burnham-On-Sea town centre has moved a step closer this week with the signing of two contracts to deliver the work and the start of a recruitment process to find a new Town Centre Manager.

Street lighting improvements, costing £86,000, are part of the major project to enhance the appearance of Burnham town centre to encourage more shoppers and visitors.

The Town Council is also starting recruitment this month for a new Town Centre Manager. The part-time role, earning £15k a year over two years, will be to promote the town centre and co-ordinate events while working alongside the Chamber of Trade, local groups and councils.

The contracts for new street lights were signed on Tuesday (July 22nd) will enable the street lighting improvements to be delivered later this year.

Town Council Clerk Denise Emery told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “This is a milestone for the project. With the contracts now signed, we are expecting work to begin in October or November on installing the new lights in Victoria Street and refurbishing those in the High Street.”

She said the Victoria Street improvements will cost around £68,000 while the High Street lighting will cost just under £18,000. The work is £14,000 under the budget of £100,000.

Meanwhile, resurfacing of part of Burnham High Street with a new coloured paved area for an entertainment performance area is still on track to begin in “early 2015”, says the council. A series of other improvements, listed below, will follow.

The whole package of work amounts to £440,000 and is being funded by Tesco to offset the expansion of its Burnham store, along with grants from the Town Council and former South West Regional Development Agency. The breakdown is below:

.£440,000 OF TOWN CENTRE IMPROVEMENTS FOR BURNHAM: Lighting improvements in Burnham High Street and Victoria Street

£100,000

Hanging basket posts

£10,000

Additional cycle racks in High Street

£2,000

Highways improvements: Coloured paviers between Adam Street and Cross Street £20k; Coloured road surface £20k & maintenance £20k; Finger post signs £10k, street furniture, including £1k for a central electricity point for events, plus £30k

£100,000

Publicity

£40,000

Roller shutter project £5k and shop front grants £25k

£30,000

New public notice boards (High Street & Victoria Street)

£5,000

Town Centre Manager and Project Manager roles

£133,000

Contingency to cover additional costs as figures are estimates

£20,000
 
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