The new chair of a board which will oversee a multi-million pound investment in Scarborough has pledged to ensure that the funding will bring wide-ranging benefits to local communities.
Heath Samples has been named as the chair of the Scarborough Neighbourhood Board which will be responsible for co-ordinating how £20m in funding from the Government is spent in the town.
The Government confirmed earlier this year that the funding will remain for Scarborough as part of a national programme to bring major investment to towns across the country.
The funding is aimed at driving forward regeneration on the coast, boosting job opportunities and helping to improve the health and wellbeing of communities.
Samples, whose career has involved work in the games, retail, media and technology sectors, said: “I am honoured to be given the chance to help bring real benefits for the communities in Scarborough and the surrounding area.
“The funding which we have been allocated will hopefully make a real difference to residents, businesses and visitors to Scarborough. I am excited to see exactly what can be achieved at such an important moment for the town.”
The Government’s national programme has been rebranded as the Plan for Neighbourhoods with an expanded remit to improve health and wellbeing along with work, productivity and skills. It is also aimed at boosting cohesion and education along with opportunities for local communities.
The original ambitions of the national programme, which was previously known as the Long-Term Plan for Towns, also remain and include reviving town centres, regeneration, promoting heritage and culture and addressing safety and security concerns. Improving transport and connectivity are also key considerations under the initiative.
The Plan for Neighbourhoods for Scarborough needs to be developed and submitted by the winter of this year, with the delivery of the projects due to start from the spring of 2026.
North Yorkshire Council previously worked in partnership with the Scarborough Town Board to develop a 10-year vision document and a three-year plan for investment.
Council leader, Councillor Carl Les, said the regeneration plan is set to build on previous investment in Scarborough, including more than £500,000 in funding to transform the town’s cricket ground on North Marine Road as well as the launch of the Scarborough Fair programme of cultural events.
He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Heath to such an important role which will continue the great deal of work that has already been undertaken in Scarborough. We are fully committed as a council to bringing benefits to all of our communities in North Yorkshire, but this is a very important opportunity for Scarborough.
“The funding that we have received is a real chance to make a difference to people’s lives, helping to develop job opportunities and attracting investment while improving health and wellbeing.
“I would also like to thank the outgoing chair of the Scarborough Town Board, David Kerfoot, for all his time and efforts in helping us make a great deal of progress in what we hope to achieve in the town.”
Samples, who lives in Scarborough, began his career in the Royal Air Force as an air and space operations specialist, completing tours in Europe and the Falkland Islands, before undertaking an LLB (Hons) degree in law and economics. He went on to serve as a Second Lieutenant in the Territorial Army with The Green Howards.
He has held senior executive roles in technology, driving forward the development of online, mobile and web platforms and artificial intelligence applications. He has led commercial, legal, compliance and development teams throughout a career spanning three decades.
Alongside his business career, he serves as a trustee at Saint Catherine’s Hospice in Scarborough. He also has a keen interest in sailing and scuba diving and has a private pilot’s licence and holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest crossing of the English Channel using a seascooter.
Mr Kerfoot, who stepped down as the chair of the Scarborough Town Board last week, said: “It has been a privilege to be involved in all the work that has been undertaken to make sure that we make the most of the funding we have been given by the Government for Scarborough.
“So much has already been achieved and I am looking forward to seeing how this work continues, and I would like to wish Heath the very best for his new role.”
