Members of the public are being given the chance to have a say on how public money is spent.
Great Aycliffe and Middridge Area Action Partnership (GAMP) is looking for public representatives to sit on the board and have a say on how they distribute cash.
The partnership is looking for people with a strong desire to improve local areas and who can relate to the local community.
Gordon Elliott, head of partnerships and community engagement, said: “Public representatives are valuable to the AAP, bringing their individual experience and local knowledge of communities.
“I would urge anyone interested to get in touch with their AAP to find out more.”
A public rep can serve on the GAMP board for up to four years and would be expected to attend board meetings which would take place at least once every two months.
They can also get involved in a variety of task and finish groups which are designed to look at the communities concerns and develop ideas and possible solutions to address these.
Over the next 12 months GAMP will be focusing on how it supports work with children and young people, community and voluntary and employment, enterprise, education and training.
Since GAMP was set up in 2009, it has supported a wide range of schemes within the area such as; providing activities and facilities for young people, supporting initiatives in schools, providing apprenticeship opportunities and supporting the key job sectors in the area and providing a highly successful small grants fund.
So if you are aged over 16 and live, work, volunteer or study in the GAMP Area, the GAMP team would like to hear from you.
Anyone expressing an interest will receive an application pack which must be completed and returned to GAMP by Tuesday, 2nd April.
Interviews for the positions will be held in April and people would take up their position as a public representative in May.
Anne Clark, a public representative on the GAMP board for the last four years, said: “I feel my time as public representative on the GAMP board has been very interesting and challenging.
“Being a member of the board and various task groups has given me a real insight into local issues and a real satisfaction in knowing that our support both financial and advisory was making a real difference.”
GAMP coordinator, Adam White, said: “We have had some fantastic public representatives just like Anne on the board over the last four years and we want to build on this with new representatives.
“This is a great opportunity to get involved with something that is making a real difference in the Newton Aycliffe area and I would urge all of those that are interested to apply.”
To request an application pack, or for more information contact the GAMP Team on 01325 327441 or [email protected]
More information on the AAPs can be found here
