THE likely future of Teignmouth will be the subject of a crucial public meeting to be held in the town at the end of February.

Bill Ridley, chairman of the Teignmouth Regeneration Project, will report on the group's action plan, Tomorrow's Teignmouth, on February 25 at 7.30pm at Teignmouth Community College Arts Centre.

'We are about to enter the really exciting and certainly rewarding phase of our work,' said Mr Ridley. 'The success of the next phase requires public encouragement and support, and I hope that many will attend.'

Tomorrow's Teignmouth is the result of considerable discussion and consultation, producing for the town an eight-sector action plan.

These include recommendations for arts and culture, community development, business, the environment, learning and skills, travel and transport, tourism, and the waterside.

Each sector has been led by a volunteer with the appropriate experience, and the teams have come up with initial lists of possible projects, some short term, others long term.

Anticipating some possible cynicism at any delay in reporting on progress, Mr Ridley said that they had to be sure that the projects were realistic.

'We had to be sure that residents and local business could understand and support them, and this took time,' he said.

'Remember, it's all based on volunteer activity. Obviously, if we can achieve quickly, several short-term projects, that will re-assure any doubters.'

The existing TRP management group will disband on February 25, to be replaced by a new Tomorrow's Teignmouth team, comprising the eight sector leaders, supported by representatives from Teignmouth Town Council, Teignbridge Council and Devon County Council.

The outgoing management group has unanimously elected Mr Ridley to chair the new body, which – at its first meeting – will elect a vice-chairman and a small executive committee to monitor overall progress.

'We have much to do, and I am proud to chair the new Tomorrow's Teignmouth action team,' added Mr Ridley. 'With townsfolk support, we will be encouraged to realise some quick results, but we do need more volunteers in each sector.'