THE search is on for the right person to help shape the future of Salisbury.

The Salisbury Vision board is seeking a new independent chairman following the retirement last year of Sir Christopher Benson, who had held the post for four years.

The board is made up of senior representatives from local businesses, Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury Civic Society, Our Salisbury, Salisbury City Council and Wiltshire Council. It was set up to oversee the regeneration of five areas of Salisbury – the central car park and Maltings, Churchfields Industrial Estate, Salisbury Guildhall, the Market Place and Southampton Road.

Fleur de Rhe-Philipe, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet member for economy, skills and transport, who represents the council on the vision board, said: “Salisbury Vision is a unique, public and private sector partnership and the chairman will be at the very centre of driving Salisbury’s economic growth while protecting its unique and much-loved identity.”

The post is a voluntary, fixed-term position for three years, which will require approximately two days’ work per month. The advertisement for the role says it requires “political awareness” and “influencing skills”.

Salisbury Vision was last year criticised as an unaccountable quango by Wiltshire Labour Councillor Ricky Rogers, who called for it to be scrapped and its responsibilities handed over to Salisbury Area Board, which he chairs. In 2011 it passed responsibility for the refurbishment of the Market Place to Salisbury Area Board after a public backlash against its ideas, which included water features, tree-felling and moving the war memorial.

Since then the Vision, which backed the creation of a Business Improvement District in the city, has concentrated on its other objectives and is also looking at transport, parking and pedestrian infrastructure.

To apply for the post or to view the full specification for the role visit tinyurl.com/nwwcqgv.