Meet the Board

I chose to get involved because Pride in Place gives Scarborough a real voice in shaping its future. It is about local decision-making and making sure the funding delivers meaningful, long-term change for the town.

The community and the town's potential impress me most. Scarborough has a strong heritage, a unique coastline and people who genuinely care about the town and want to make a difference.

One of our main challenges will be maintaining momentum and delivering visible results. We need to balance ambition with what can realistically be achieved and make sure different areas of investment work together to create a wider impact.

I would like Pride in Place to deliver tangible improvements, stronger high streets and more opportunities for young people. I also want it to renew confidence in the town among residents, businesses and potential investors.

“Pride in Place gives Scarborough a real voice in shaping its future.”

Although I have lived in a number of different cities in the UK, I was born and bred in Scarborough, and as the Managing Director of W. Boyes & Co. Ltd. I wanted to give something back to the community that I am so passionate about.

Its natural beauty. Scarborough has significant challenges, like many places across the country, but we are surrounded by green space and clean air. We need to make the most of this when attracting investors and developers, so we can create a positive environment for growth.

For most of my life, we have seen many past attractions and notable buildings torn down or left to decline. We need to change this direction and encourage public authorities to work alongside the private sector to invest in our place. Capital projects require financial support, so we need to choose wisely, focus on things that will make a difference and get them over the line.

I would like Pride in Place to help stop the decline in our infrastructure and support a positive environment for much-needed investment. I want residents and visitors alike to speak positively about what they see happening in the town. This in itself will help define Pride in Place for Scarborough.

“I wanted to give something back to the community that I am so passionate about.”

When I was elected, I promised to be Scarborough and Whitby's voice in Westminster, not Westminster's voice in Scarborough and Whitby. Pride in Place reflects that approach. The Government is investing £20 million in Scarborough, but instead of telling people what they need, it is giving local people the power to decide how that money is spent. Nobody knows Scarborough better than the people who call it home, which is why the Government's focus on devolution is so encouraging.

The scenery is spectacular, but it is the people who make Scarborough special. Like many coastal towns, we face challenges, but what stands out to me is the community's creativity and resilience. As well as the arts, Scarborough is also a centre of excellence for electrical engineering, with companies such as Schneider, Dale Power and Control and Power Solutions playing important roles on the national and international stage. Ever since I moved here, I have been continually inspired by the talent and spirit of local people. It is what makes me proud to call Scarborough home and even prouder to champion it in Parliament.

The whole point of Pride in Place is that it is driven by local people. Through the consultation, residents were clear about what matters most: improving the town centre, making Scarborough an even better place to live and visit, and supporting the community groups that do so much on the ground. Those are the priorities local people identified, and they are exactly what this funding is designed to deliver.

I want Pride in Place to leave Scarborough feeling stronger and being even more ambitious about its future. Just as importantly, I want people to feel they have a genuine stake in shaping that future. The best ideas come from local people, and the more residents who get involved, the more successful Scarborough will be. Ultimately, I hope this investment, and the way it is being targeted, leaves people with an even greater sense of pride in the place they call home.

“Nobody knows Scarborough better than the people who call it home.”

Through Scarborough Business Ambassadors, I have been involved in a number of projects and initiatives aimed at improving the town. Pride in Place is a fantastic opportunity to see more of this work happen on a larger scale and to bring the experience of the Ambassador group to the fore.

Scarborough is a naturally beautiful town with huge potential to deliver on its promise. With the right investment and care, it could become a leading light across a number of economic sectors.

Successive governments' lack of investment in the regions, particularly coastal towns, has left us with decaying infrastructure, a declining high street and numerous problems caused by deprivation. These issues must be tackled if Scarborough is to fulfil its future potential.

We need key projects that demonstrate Scarborough is open for business, including the development of the Brunswick Centre, North Bay and the land behind the Town Hall. Bold, ambitious and exciting projects on some or all of these sites could help turn the tide on inward investment and allow Scarborough to flourish.

“Scarborough is a naturally beautiful town with huge potential to deliver on its promise.”

I enjoy volunteering and being actively involved in our local community.

The beauty of our surroundings and the relative ease of day-to-day living.

Attracting more well-paid employment to the area.

I would like Pride in Place to help secure high-quality new development while preserving, protecting and improving Scarborough's historic features and places of public interest.

“I would like Pride in Place to help secure high-quality new development while preserving, protecting and improving Scarborough's historic features and places of public interest.”

I wanted to play my part in an important initiative that can support and improve the health and wellbeing of Scarborough's residents. I am particularly interested in helping to reduce inequalities and ensuring the NHS contributes to the town as both a provider of healthcare and a major local employer.

The beautiful coastline, the amenities available across the town, the strong sense of community and community spirit, and the friendliness of local people.

One of the greatest challenges is giving every child the best possible start in life. This is essential to achieving good educational outcomes and ensuring young people have more choices as they approach adulthood. Scarborough must also create more good employment opportunities, improve family incomes and continue strengthening its physical and social infrastructure.

I would like Pride in Place to help give children the best possible start in life while improving Scarborough's physical and social infrastructure. Together, these changes can improve opportunities for local people and make the town more attractive to employers, creating more good jobs and helping to raise family incomes.

“Giving children the best possible start in life is the most important priority, giving them more choices over the life they want to lead.”

I chose to get involved because Scarborough is my hometown and I care deeply about its future. I was born and raised here, went to school locally and now live, work and raise my family in the town, so I see its opportunities and challenges first-hand. Pride in Place can bring partners together and deliver lasting improvements for residents.

What most impresses me is Scarborough's outstanding natural environment. Within minutes, I can be overlooking dramatic clifftops and the North Sea, surrounded by woodland or heading into the open landscape of the North York Moors. That combination of coast, countryside and strong local identity gives Scarborough a real sense of place.

One of Scarborough's key challenges is creating strong opportunities for young people, so they can build careers and futures locally rather than having to leave the town. That means attracting high-quality, well-paid jobs and supporting skills, education and routes into employment. We also need to diversify the economy and improve Scarborough's cultural, leisure and entertainment offer.

I would like Pride in Place to deliver real, visible regeneration, particularly by bringing new life back to the town centre. That means supporting investment, encouraging quality businesses, improving public spaces and creating somewhere people want to spend time. I also want it to help attract high-quality jobs, strengthen the local economy and improve the range of leisure, culture and entertainment available.

“I would like Pride in Place to deliver real, visible regeneration for Scarborough, particularly bringing new life back to the town centre.”

I joined the Pride in Place Board because it offers a genuine opportunity to shape long-term change in Scarborough. Coming from a heritage perspective, I am particularly keen to ensure the town's heritage is properly celebrated and used as a driver for regeneration. More broadly, I want to help ensure that investment creates visible and meaningful improvements for the people of Scarborough.

What most impresses me is how engaged people are in shaping Scarborough's future. There is a strong sense of pride and ownership in the town, alongside a real determination to improve the town centre, create opportunities for young people and celebrate Scarborough's heritage.

One of the biggest challenges will be maintaining momentum and ensuring delivery matches our ambition. Scarborough has a wide range of priorities, from town centre regeneration to health and transport. The key will be making sure investment is well coordinated, visible and felt across all our communities throughout the full ten-year programme.

I would like Pride in Place to deliver visible improvements that residents recognise, including a more vibrant and welcoming town centre, safer streets and better transport links. Just as importantly, it should create more opportunities for young people and support healthier, better-connected communities, so people feel proud not only of where they live, but also of the direction the town is heading.

“I want to help ensure that investment creates visible and meaningful improvements for the people of Scarborough.”

I got involved because I believe the people who live and work in a place are its greatest assets, yet too often their voices go unheard in decisions that shape their communities. Over the past 20 years of working in community settings and the NHS, I have seen people surpass expectations when they are given genuine opportunities to contribute. Pride in Place felt like a chance to be part of something that takes community-led change seriously, and I did not want to miss the opportunity to be involved.

More than anything, it is the people. Scarborough has weathered significant economic and social challenges, yet there is a quiet determination here that never fails to impress me. Community groups and volunteers achieve extraordinary things with very little, simply because they see a need and step forward to meet it. The town has a creative, entrepreneurial heart, and the support networks that have grown from that spirit are truly special and inspiring.

The challenge is simple to see but harder to solve: too many people in Scarborough feel invisible. This includes young people without clear routes into education or work, people locked out by health inequalities or digital exclusion, and those whose needs statutory services were never designed to meet. If we do not create genuine, meaningful pathways for all of them, not only those who are easiest to reach, we risk entrenching the very inequalities Pride in Place was designed to address.

Pride in Place has the potential to deliver something far greater than individual projects: a fundamental shift in how Scarborough sees and believes in itself. I want investment to reach the people who need it most, create tangible opportunities for those facing the greatest barriers and support the organisations already doing essential work. Returning genuine decision-making power to the community is key. If more people can thrive as a result, that is the legacy that matters.

“The people who live and work in a place are its greatest assets.”

As Academic Director at CU Scarborough, I am passionate about the role education, skills and opportunity can play in transforming lives and communities. I became involved because I believe Scarborough has enormous potential. Pride in Place brings together people and organisations who care about the town's future and provides an opportunity to ensure local voices and ambitions help shape its long-term development.

What impresses me most is the strength of the community and the passion of the people who live and work here. Scarborough combines natural beauty and heritage with an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong sense of community pride. I am continually inspired by the individuals and organisations working together to improve opportunities for local people. It is also a fantastic place to live, work and study, with a strong identity and significant potential for growth.

One of our key challenges is retaining and attracting talent. Too many young people still feel they need to leave the area to access education, employment or career progression. We also need stronger connections between education providers and employers, so skills development reflects current and future workforce needs. Finally, we must challenge outdated perceptions of coastal towns and ensure Scarborough is recognised for its strengths, opportunities and potential.

I would like Pride in Place to help create a clear and ambitious shared vision for Scarborough. This should include stronger collaboration between education providers, employers, community organisations and local government, alongside more opportunities for graduates and young professionals to build their careers locally. Ultimately, I want Scarborough to be a place where people can access high-quality education, build successful careers, enjoy an excellent quality of life and feel proud to call home.

“I want Scarborough to be a place where people can access high-quality education, build successful careers and feel proud to call home.”

This forms part of my Executive responsibility at North Yorkshire Council, particularly around supporting regeneration, investment and economic growth.

The whole coastline in Scarborough is beautiful and remains one of the town's greatest assets.

One of the key challenges is continuing to make Scarborough a destination, while also making sure residents feel proud of their town.

I would like to see the town centre have a more welcoming feel, as well as being more vibrant.

“I would like to see the town centre have a more welcoming feel, as well as being more vibrant.”

Pride in Place is an exciting opportunity to learn from residents what they would like to improve in Scarborough and move forward meaningful projects that will make a difference.

Scarborough is a beautiful place, with two fantastic bays looking out to sea and people who really care about the town.

Towns across the country are changing, and seaside towns face particular challenges. Scarborough must continue to develop its appeal and remain relevant to visitors, while also serving its residents and creating opportunities for people and their families.

I would like Pride in Place to deliver projects that help revitalise Scarborough town centre.

“Scarborough is a beautiful place, with two fantastic bays looking out to sea and people who really care about the town.”

As a Town Councillor, I chose to get involved because I believe Scarborough deserves a confident and ambitious vision for its future, shaped by the people who live and work here. Pride in Place offers an opportunity to bring ideas together and deliver meaningful, visible change. For me, it is about moving beyond managed decline and actively investing in the town's identity and economic potential.

Scarborough's greatest strengths are its people and its history. We have an extraordinary natural environment, a rich heritage and a community that cares deeply about the town. Despite the challenges, there is a strong appetite for change. Our combination of history, coastal beauty and community spirit gives us something very special to build on.

Our challenges include regeneration, economic resilience and ensuring investment genuinely benefits local people, without forgetting what kind of town Scarborough is. We need to address decline, improve the quality and use of our town centre and create opportunities that encourage people to stay while attracting new talent.

I would like Pride in Place to deliver visible improvements that restore confidence in Scarborough, particularly in the town centre. This should include supporting local businesses and making the town somewhere people feel proud to live, work and visit. Just as importantly, I want residents to feel part of Scarborough's future, with positive change created with the community, not done to it.

“I want residents to feel part of Scarborough's future, with positive change created with the community, not done to it.”