New residents group 'EAST' will be at the heart of Eastfield's regeneration

EAST, which stands for Eastfield Always Stands Together, is the ward’s first residents group.

Formed by people of all ages, the group aims to give residents a unified voice to stand up for Eastfield issues and instigate positive change.

It was officially launched at a fun day event at Loders Green scout hut organised by Adele Jackson.

She said: “We wanted to show our support for community events and get everybody together after the summer holidays but there has been some anti-social behaviour in Eastfield so with the residents group we’re hoping to talk to councillors and organisations to try to get to why the children feel that there is nothing for them here.”

One of the first projects the group will campaign for to tackle anti-social behaviour is a new and improved community centre, a project that would tie in with Eastfield’s regeneration.

Theresa Norton, a ward councillor and supporter of the group, said: “We’ve had that community centre since 1966. It’s old, it’s obsolete, it’s just past its sell-by date so we’d like to get the residents together to get new facilities.”

She added: “I think we need to involve the residents more and once we have this group going we will be able to find out what the residents want rather than the residents being told what they’re given.”

Talks on Eastfield’s regeneration first began after Christmas when Scarborough Borough Council decided to use money from the sale of land currently occupied by the Middle Deepdale site to create new housing and leisure facilities.

Billa Duggal, a member of the council’s community regeneration team, said: “The focus is on working together to showcase what community is really about.

“Hopefully people will get together and not only will they believe in the community but they’ll believe in saying what they need to make life better and improve that community spirit."