BUSINESS groups in Oakham are thinking of joining forces with the town partnership for support in tackling issues facing the town in the near future.
Oakham Chamber of Trade put out an appeal last month for businesses to come forward and work as a team to promote the town after its membership dropped over the past few years.
The chamber asked for businesses to attend to its annual meeting on Ju
ly 7 but received a disappointing response with four committee members and two other businesses attending.
Now the committee is considering amalgamating with Oakham Town Partnership to form a business group as a sub committee of that body.
Both groups are due to hold discussions on a possible merger in the autumn.
Chairman Caroline Hodges had hope to re-launch the chamber at the meeting after it suffered dwindling membership and a list of members was lost due to computer problems.
She said: "It was very disappointing as it was something we hoped to kick start again and get people involved.
"We put quite a lot in the press that we were doing this. If people want our help they need to come forward.
"Both of us struggled to find members or people to help, we might as well pool our resources and do what we can between us.
"There is still in this day and age a position for a chamber of trade."
Rutland County Council's portfolio holder for market towns and town partnership vice-chairman Peter Jones is welcoming a merger with the chamber.
He said: "The town partnership is very keen to be representative of the businesses in the town and will be happy to facilitate any form of informal business group.
"We are keen to facilitate this as we consider there is a need for it.
"We would welcome it as it would make sense with big events like late night shopping rather than having two organisations to have one business group."
The partnership is due to discuss the move at its meeting in September.
An informal group of businesses could also link with the town partnership to put forward ideas on how the west end of Oakham could be improved.
A meeting, organised by Rutland County Council, was held on Thursday last week at Oakham Castle for traders to have their say on plans to improve the area from the top of the High Street and Melton Road up to the level crossing.
The council is in consultation on the west end with traders and residents.
About 25 out of 150 businesses in the town were represented.
Mr Jones, said: "There was general consensus for a more informal business group, which would be associated with the town partnership."
He said funding would need to be considered before any solutions for traffic problems and issues facing small traders were found.
