Shadow Board

The formation of a shadow board represented a major step forward in establishing a destination development organisation for Dumfries and Galloway. The shadow board of nine business and community activists plus Joan Mitchell as Chair of the Area Tourism Partnership is now up and running . Working in small groups it has already got down to the serious work of developing the vision for a DDO, preparing a business plan, and ensuring that an effective communications network is in place – all with a view to preparing the ground for a permanent board. It has a tight deadline to submit details to the Council’s Planning Housing and Environment Committee which will consider the issue of Council support for tourism at its October meeting.

Given the large number of people who expressed an interest in being part of the shadow board following the Castle Douglas conference in May, the selection of the board was a demanding task.  The steering group of ATP and ADGAP members who had overseen the consultancy work , aided by the consultants and council staff, put together a selection and scoring process to find a suitable mix of talents and reasonable geographical and sectoral balance. Their recommendations were then submitted to the full Area Tourism Partnership who unanimously accepted them on 30th July.

Shadow board members and contact numbers:

Liz Chambers         ATP and steering group                    01556 612896  (Chair)
Lynda Denton        Gretna Green Group                       01461 338441
Cathy Agnew         Catstrand                                      07796 176124
Fiona Colley            Springboard                                  07532 058642
Duncan McConchie  Laggan Outdoors                           07966 506873
Angela McIntyre     The Crichton                                 01387 702020 (Vice Chair)
Dave Smith            Buccleuch Arms, Moffat                   01683 220003
Fred Findlay           Rickwood Guesthouse, Portpatrick    01776 810270 (Treasurer)
Alan Keith             Airds Farm, Crossmichael                   01556 670418 (Vice Chair)