THE future of Ruthin is looking clearer and brighter after community involvement in ‘Ruthin Future Week 2’ proved to be a success.

The series of events across the week that looked to engage encourage engagement from professionals, businesses, organisations and the wider community in Ruthin has allowed the town council to establish priority projects to pursue in the future.

Gavin Harris, town councillor for Ruthin, chair of Bro Rhuthun Marketing Group, and Ruthin Future Week organiser, said: “We received an even better response this year compared to the event in 2011. We’re very pleased with how the week played out.

“Input from the community has allowed us to establish which projects are most important to them, which we can use to move forward.

Highlights included the film night which raised £300, a town council meeting attended by members of the public and Brynhyfryd students, a Bro Rhuthun Business Group Meeting, and the main exhibition at Ruthin Crafts Centre, which will continue until the end of May in response to a popular reception.

Mr Harris said: “The week raised £600 overall which will make a surplus to fund future projects, but it was of equal advantage to have the community involved in the process. We now know which projects are most important to people in the town.

“It was fantastic to have the input of students at the town council meeting and good for them to see how a standard working meeting functions.

“It was also useful to have a range of voices at the business summit on Wednesday, which was attended by professionals and businesses based in Ruthin, as well as the Denbighshire County Council, Tai Cynefy, Betsi Cadawlr Health Board and other members from both the public and private sector.

“Having all these voices in the same room, when there can sometimes be rare dialogue between them, has allowed us to see different angles and gather an awful lot of information."

The development of NatWest bank into a central civic, visitor and community orientation and exhibition space, and the removal of Ruthin roundabout to create a square have been established as priorities.

Mr Harris said: “The town council is now working on a ‘masterplan document’ that will draw upon input we received during the events across the week.”

The week was concluded with guided walks around Ruthin, led by historian Roger Edwards, as well as the highly successful Ruthin photomarathon that involved around 80 people.

The town council is now looking towards establishing a “Tidy Town” volunteer task force to help improve more low-level issues such as improving benches and bins around the town.