Whole Town Strategy
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Why is this theme important to small towns? |
‘Whole Town Strategies’ are particularly appropriate and relevant to small towns. Whereas large towns and cities have difficulty in taking a holistic approach due to their scale and complexity - hence the frequency of ‘neighbourhood’ approaches - small towns are in a strong position to plan for their entire areas.
A whole town approach increases a small town’s ability to become more sustainable, since it can explore, discuss and resolve issues in the context of the town as a total entity. This compels professional people to come out of their ‘silos’ and also encourages members of the community to see their town in the eyes of others. A whole town approach forces issues of inevitable conflict to be resolved, for example, finding solutions to issues such as jobs, tourism and transport whilst still providing equal opportunity and enhancing environmental quality.
A WTS approach can increase community activism in a small town, provide a clear sense of direction for all groups, and make the strategic goals such as ‘sustainable development’ and ‘quality of life’ more meaningful.
Along with sector links and voluntary groupings, a WTS approach also facilitates a small town to see itself in a wider regional context and, thus, foster potential working or ‘clustering’ relationships with other small towns.
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