AROUND 50 Dalry residents attended a meeting at Dalry Primary School on May 6 to discuss the setting up of a community ‘hub’ – a resident-led group with the goal of ‘making the town a better place’.

The long term aims of the hub will be to secure funding for the improvement of Dalry.

The initiative is currently being led on an informal basis by a steering group of willing individuals which has been in talks with North Ayrshire Council Education and Skills and the Community Development Team.

Many of the attendees represented other Dalry clubs and organisations.

Opening the meeting, steering group member James McCosh said he believed that there are substantial sums which may be available for projects in the town but, to date, those funds have not been tapped.

James also highlighted that there are other towns near at hand who have done so successfully, such as Beith, Fairlie, Largs and West Kilbride.

Alastair Adamson then gave a presentation highlighting what he perceives are uncertainties about current community boundaries and the impact this could have on Dalry.

He expressed his concerns that, over the past couple of decades, Dalry may have suffered from a lack of co-ordinated community involvement in many aspects of community life and the upkeep of community assets and facilities.

Mr Adamson’s presentation listed a number of community asset and funding issues not currently being addressed by any other Dalry group or organisation.

He suggested that the only way Dalry is going to reap the maximum benefit from the many available funding sources is ‘by the community working together’.

The main proposal tabled by the steering group is to form a ‘hub’ to present a strong voice for the community with the following goals: - Brighten up Dalry town centre - Resolve current issues regarding ownership and the ongoing repair and maintenance of the Lynn Glen walk and other walks in Dalry - Meet with Community Wind Power Ltd and attempt to resolve the current impasse regarding Millour Hill community benefits and the perceived limitations imposed by the current method of managing and allocating the community benefits derived from the Dalry Community Wind Farm (Wardlaw Wood).

- Brighten up Dalry railway station with plants/flowers - Lobby NAC to ensure that Community Council boundaries of Dalry reflect the parish/post code boundaries - Work with NAC to identify possible funding opportunities and support for local assets.

Mr Adamson said: “NAC has been very helpful and is committed to continue to provide support for this initiative.

“The steering group has recognised that the proposed “hub” should try to avoid duplicating activities undertaken by other Dalry interest groups, and initially work towards identifying community needs and services that currently have no sponsor.

“The steering group and others representing other Dalry organisations will work together over the next few months to develop the concept of a “hub”.

“When the hub has been formally constituted, elections will then take place to form a committee.” It was unanimously agreed that the current steering group be given the authority to continue with its investigations and report back in the autumn.