THE appointment of a project co-ordinator to help shape the future of Haslemere has moved a step closer with an advertisement inviting applications for the new role.

The successful applicant, who can earn around £10,500 for the six-month contract, is expected to be appointed by the end of next month.

The co-ordinator will be expected to carry out a "health check" on the town and report back on the town's strengths and weaknesses to "secure the longer-term economic, social and environmental prosperity" of Haslemere. He or she will also be expected to carry out a similar exercise in Cranleigh.

The job specification calls for a highly motivated person, educated to degree level and able to work on his or her own initiative. Also required are good project management skills, research and consultation experience the ability to work with a range of groups and statutory bodies.

Among the other requirements is an understanding of community development and rural regeneration.

The successful applicant has also got to have a car and be flexible enough to fit in with community requirements.

Surrey County Council, Waverley Borough Council, Haslemere Town Council and the Haslemere Initiative are among those which have given the scheme their blessing. The town council has pledged financial support for the scheme, promising £15,000. over the next three years.

The six-month full-time contract or job share role marks the first phase of a "Market Towns Initiative".

Last week members of Haslemere Town Council finance and purposes committee discussed plans for the health check scheme, with the mayor Stephen Mulliner writing to town councillors asking them to put forward names of people and organisations which may be interested in offering their voluntary expertise to the project manager.

Speaking on Wednesday, deputy mayor Michael Foster said the town council wanted "a very comprehensive public consultation on what people wanted for Haslemere".

"Our intention is to start of with a blank sheet of paper and initially have some five groups covering such issues as environment, the business health of the town, transport including road rail and car parking and maybe health and education.

"There are 250 clubs and organisations in Haslemere and we want some of them and members of the public to come forward to help."

He said anyone interested should in the first instance register their interest at the town hall.

There will also be an "over-arching" committee to oversee the work of the groups which would include representatives from The Countryside Agency, SCC, Waverley Borough Council, Cranleigh Town Council and Haslemere Town Council, which would include town councillors and clerk Mike O'Neill.

The pilot healthcheck job for Haslemere and Cranleigh is funded by the Countryside Agency.

The application follows a successful joint bid with Cranleigh by Waverley Borough Council to the Countryside Agency and the South East England Development Agency SEEDA, to receive up to £62,000 of government funding for the health check, public consultation and improvements.