A TOWN'S future will be on the agenda at a community conference to be held later this month.

Although the event is aimed at community groups, clubs and societies in and around Knaresborough, organisers also hope to see as many local people there as possible.

Billed as Help Build Knaresborough's Future, the community conference has been organised by the Knaresborough Renaissance Market Town Initiative and will be held at King James' School on March 5, from 9.15am.

Councillor Bill Hoult said: "Many people in the town will have seen, heard, or taken part in an extensive consultation programme over the past few months and this community conference will give us the chance to profile some of the ideas that have come forward.

"We now have to prioritise those ideas and knock them into some shape for our final report to the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, which has financed this initiative.

"But before we go any further, we want to have a major push to get to as many people as possible."

Coun Hoult said that while being a Renaissance Town did not necessarily attract funding, it would help open up opportunities for investment.

He said: "Before the Market Town Initiative prepares its final findings, we want to stress how important it is that we have ideas from everyone with an interest in the future of our town."