Last updated at 21:18, Thursday, 14 January 2010

A FLOOD recovery manager has been appointed to help Cockermouth get back on its feet.

New Cockermouth flood recovery manager Les Tickner

Dr Les Tickner, 51, of Carlisle, was one of 12 people who applied for the temporary 12-month position.

Allerdale council announced his appointment yesterday and said he was chosen following a tough selection process which involved assessment tests and interviews with representatives from Allerdale council, Cockermouth Chamber of Trade and Cockermouth town counci.

He is due to start work on Monday at Cockermouth Town Hall.

Dr Tickner worked for Carlisle City Council as its head of environmental services and is a civil engineer with experience in infrastructure design and construction.

The council said his role would include enhancing the position of retailers and other businesses and acting as the link between the town’s shops and other businesses, agencies and organisations.

The position includes developing and implementing a marketing and promotions campaign with specific event management for the town centre, securing any external support and funding that may become available, and co-ordinating any consultation.

He said: “I am looking forward to it, particularly working with the Cockermouth Chamber of Trade and other agencies involved in regeneration of the town centre.

“I am a practical hands-on person with a background in the regeneration of urban areas. I was heavily involved in the recovery effort after the 2005 Carlisle floods.”

Vanessa Graham, owner of ironmongers JB Banks & Son Ltd on Market Place, said: “I am looking forward to seeing how he can help bring Cockermouth back to what it was before the floods.”

Vera Lowrey, owner of Allisons Pharmacy at Main Street at Mitchell’s on Station Road, said: “This is a real positive for the town and I look forward to seeing what ideas he brings with him.

“He’s a local man so he should know the area well. We all need a bit of help to overcome what has happened. The main thing we’ve been lacking is someone to co-ordinate everything.”

Sue Eccles, managing director of the Trout Hotel on Crown Street, said: “We’ve needed someone to co-ordinate everything because we’ve had too many different organisations doing different things and no one to oversee all that. I see this as a positive step.”

Michelle Wilson, owner of Salon 5 in Mitchell’s Retail Market on Lorton Street, said: “It’s good to finally have someone to oversee all of the work and make sure that builders and all the different companies involved in the repair work are staying on track.

“It will also mean that shop owners will have someone to go to to seek advice about certain issues which is reassuring.”

Mags Stevenson, owner of Lakeland Seasons in Mitchell’s Retail Market on Lorton Street, said: “We need this person to start shifting everything along but only time will tell.”

Jonty Chippendale, chairman of the Cockermouth Chamber of Trade and a member of the interview panel, said: “This is just what we need to pull resources together in a co-ordinated effort and bring about the recovery and regeneration of Cockermouth.”

Lynn Parvin, Allerdale council regeneration strategy manager, who was also on the interview panel, said: “The position attracted interest from a high standard of applicants.“We believe he will help us to not only get Cockermouth back on its feet but make the town thrive and come back bigger and better than before.”

First published at 19:26, Thursday, 14 January 2010
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk