Boss of 'overlooked' town's regeneration board quits

Richie Nicoll took up the post to oversee a £20m investment in Dumfries

The man leading a board set up to help spend £20m to regenerate a Scottish town centre is stepping down with immediate effect.

Richie Nicoll took up the role in Dumfries last year after it emerged as one of seven "overlooked" towns around the country in line for the funding.

He said it had not been an easy decision to step down but, due to "upcoming changes" to his professional priorities, he could not give the time to the position he wanted.

Mr Nicoll said that as a "born and bred Doonhamer" it had been "one of the most meaningful and rewarding roles" he had ever had.

The funding was announced in 2023 by the then prime minister Rishi Sunak to be put "in the hands of local people" to revitalise their high streets.

Dumfries - along with Greenock, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Coatbridge, Clydebank and Elgin - was on the list.

The support was subsequently confirmed by the new Labour government and Mr Nicoll had been leading efforts to invest the funds - to be delivered over a 10-year period.

However, he said he was no longer in a position to lead the town board set up as part of the investment process.

'Extremely proud'

He said he was "incredibly proud" of what the board had achieved in terms of a regeneration strategy.

"We've begun building something truly unique and this is something that I am extremely proud of - a model unlike any other town board in the country," he said.

"One that is independent, community-led, and free from political interference.

"It's a model rooted firmly in the voice and will of the people of Dumfries."

He highlighted Dumfries Shine - a community clean-up initiative - as one example that "meaningful, local-led change" was possible.

"My personal ethos has always been that you are either fully in or respectfully out," he added.

"With upcoming changes in my professional priorities, I do not want to reach a point where I'm missing meetings or limiting my contribution.

"The people of Dumfries deserve full commitment; nothing less."

He said he would support his replacement and urged whoever it was to reflect the needs of local people not the agenda of any political organisation.