Chair of St Helens Town Board appointed to support regeneration plans

After John Tabern stepped down from his role last year, St Helens Council has appointed Neil Butler as the new chair of the Town Deal Board.

The government selected St Helens to have a Town Deal Board in September 2019, and with Mr Tabern at the helm, it secured £25 million of investment to support regeneration projects in St Helens.

Made up of experts from a broad range of specialisms, the Town Deal Board has supported projects such as the town centre's regeneration masterplan, the revival of Cannington Shaw Bottle Shop, renewing the World of Glass museum, creating a sustainable transport hub and ensuring digital connectivity for all, and providing a Youth Zone for young people.

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John Tabern stepped down as chair last year (Image: St Helens Council)
Neil Butler has taken up the unpaid role after he recently retired from a 40 year career in the glass industry, working as the Global Innovation Lead at Glass Futures in St Helens. 

Mr Butler is said to bring a wealth of experience in industry, as well as a keen interest in the local arts sector having tread the board at places like The Citadel and St Helens Theatre Royal.

Welcoming his appointment Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth and Regeneration, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Neil as the new chair of the St Helens Town Board.

"He brings a tremendous wealth of experience in one of our critical industries and will no doubt lead this critical board with the support of all partners well.

"To date the board has already delivered on some of its projects and is making really positive progress with those remaining so that we can realise the full potential of this £25million investment in St Helens town centre.

"The investment will provide the building blocks for growth that will be a catalyst for further positive regeneration for the borough as a whole.”

The World Of Glass' renovation has been completed with help from the Board (Image: St Helens Star)
With renovations and exhibitions completed at the World of Glass, work continues on completing the aforementioned projects that will support a whole-scale transformation of St Helens town centre.   

Neil Butler said: “I am delighted to be joining the board in order to give back to the community that has not only given me a fulfilling career in glass but also an enjoyable and happy family life.

"There are so many exciting projects that we hope will produce inward investment and a long lasting legacy for the people of St Helens.”