COMMUNITY leaders in Galashiels are hoping to recruit a manager before the end of the year to oversee the regeneration of their town.

Over the past five years Energise Galashiels has been working and campaigning towards improving the fortunes of the town centre.

Following on from a recent property and shopfront improvement scheme, they have this week launched Build a Better Galashiels.

And at the heart of the £200,000 project is the appointment of a Community Enterprise Manager.

Craig Murray from Energise Galashiels said: “As a community group, we have been placed in the privileged position of being able to use the funding provided by Scottish Government to make decisions and take action at a local level.

"We see the recruitment of the right person, or people, to deliver on this role as key to achieving the aims of the initiative.”

Energise Galashiels is looking for either an individual or group to take on the Enterprise Manager role.

As well as being able to project manage and provide business development support, the position requires marketing and communications skills, and experience of events management.

The closing date for applications is Friday, November 1.

As well as launching Build a Better Galashiels, the Trust is continuing to encourage property owners in the town centre, and tenants who have businesses based in the area, to submit an application for grant funding to make improvements.

The Property and Shopfront Improvement Scheme has been developed in partnership with local groups and funded through Scottish Borders Council’s allocation from the Scottish Government Town Centre Regeneration Fund.

Councillor Mark Rowley said: “Energise Galashiels has brought together a number of proactive business and community leaders in the town and I am delighted that both the council and the South of Scotland Economic Partnership have been able to support their ambitions and fund these two initial schemes as part of the Build a Better Galashiels project.

“The example that Energise Galashiels and other groups in Borders towns and villages such as Hawick, Selkirk, Eyemouth and Newcastleton set is fantastic, and the Council will continue to do all it can to support them play their part in their communities as so many of our aims and objectives are interlinked.”