RESIDENTS will be able to put forward their ideas for the future of Advantage Alcester as its funding period comes to an end.

A meeting earlier this month is set to be followed by public consultation in February which could help decide the direction the organisation will take.

At the meeting, Advantage Alcester's board met with representatives from the town to discuss how it will develop when the four-year funding from Advantage West Midlands, as part of the Market Town Initiative, comes to an end in March.

Its work has included supporting Alcester Opportunities, planning a major town centre revamp, and giving funding to up to 20 local groups including the Greig Centre, Alcester in Bloom and the town's Young Firefighters.

At the meeting, 20 representatives from more than 10 of the town's community and business organisations met, which included members of the town, district and county councils, Alcester Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Arden Forest Industrial Estate, Minerva Mill, Alcester Opportunities and the Greig Centre. There were also speakers from Advantage West Midlands, Stratford District Council and Staffordshire University, who will now form a working group with Advantage Alcester to develop a Succession Plan.

Chair Lise Evans said they had wanted to see whether there was support from the group's key partners to continue Advantage Alcester's work in some form.

She added: "I am pleased to say the overwhelming response from the meeting was to continue to support the work of the partnership so we are currently looking at our various options. I believe we have achieved a substantial amount taking into account our considerable constraints but there is still a lot more that can be done."

The public consultation meeting to find out the views of the wider Alcester community will take place at the Greig Centre on February 23.