CRUNCH-time is looming for PetersfieldÕs town manager as East Hampshire District Councillors meet to debate the town tradersÕ latest bid for funding.
On Tuesday members of the Central Area Community Committee will decide whether or not to give Petersfield Marketing Ltd the £6,500 traders have asked for to help pay for the town manager.
If they agree, the grant will come on the understanding that it will be no more than £3,250 the following year, and no financial help will be given at all after that.
It means that Petersfield traders will have to be prepared to dig deeper into their own pockets to fund the post in two yearsÕ time.
Before Christmas traders warned that Petersfield was in danger of losing its valued town centre manager unless they could find more cash.
Their three-year funding package with the district and town council was about to end and they were looking for £24,000 to keep the managerÕs post, currently held by Steve Johnston, in the town for two days a week.
Petersfield Marketing Ltd, which employs Mr Johnston, also needed cash to fund marketing projects.
At the beginning of January Petersfield Town Councillors made a £13,000 grant to traders Ð £7,500 less than they asked for.
But the money will be split with £6,500 going to the PetersfieldÕs marketing initiative and £6,500 going to the christmas lights.
Next week officers are recommending members of the central area committee to give Petersfield Marketing Ltd the funds they have requested and agree to taper off their financial backing in 2004 to 2005.
In his report to the committee, Head of Economic Development and Tourism Mike Gibbs, reminded members that they had agreed a three-year funding package in 2000 to 2001 to help the group meet its first-year objectives provided there was funding from other partners such as Petersfield Town Council and the private sector.
Mr Gibbs has reported that an update to the groupÕs business plan showed that Òsignificant progressÓ had been made in achieving their targets.
But he added: ÒThere was a gap in activities in 2001 as the original town manager left in June and could not be replaced until September 2001.Ó
He said Mr Johnston had been carrying out liaison work between the county council and traders during the improvements to the Square and the High Street which were much appreciated in the town.
Chairman of Petersfield Marketing Ltd Maggi Bennett told The Herald: ÒIf we get what is recommended it will be really, really valuable,Ó but she warned that traders would have to provide more funding if they wanted a town manager in future years. ÒIt will be very difficult to continue after next year without more funds,Ó she said.
She said if all 200 shopkeepers and business people in Petersfield were prepared to find £50 a year it would more than pay for the town managerÕs salary. It would enable Petersfield Marketing Limited to generate more cash for other projects. The letting of the town square was one scheme aimed at generating cash.
ÒItÕs the old conundrum of who is responsible for the funding of town management. Is it the shopkeepers and business people banding together as a community and paying a small amount to provide appropriate fundingÓ said Mrs Bennett, or was it town and district councils?