Market Towns Initiative

right|thumb|300px|High Street, Cranbrook, Kent
The Market Towns Initiative (MTI) has been developed from an initiative of the UK's Countryside Agency, (now part of Natural England). Arrangements to support this initiative may have recently undergone some changes - further information from websites listed under External links below.
=== News UK ===
February 2011
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Action for Market Towns to help test new loyalty card for High Street shoppers, 22 February towns.org.uk, 22 February 2011 
=== MTI Toolkit ===
This contains practical guidance on how to do a market towns healthcheck and advice about community participation, funding, training, transport and business support. The Toolkit also contains practical guidance for communities to set up local partnerships and create a market town action plan. 
The Toolkit is designed to ensure that market towns can become 
*comprehensive local centres which serve people's needs
*the hub for properly planned transport into surrounding areas
*places where housing and economic growth can be managed
*centres for local food processing and the marketing of countryside products
*places that can capitalise on their character and assets.
=== Related topics ===
*Malling Action Partnership
*Local needs met locally
*South East Rural Towns Partnership 
*Action for Market Towns (AMT) Not-for-profit membership association dedicated to promoting the vitality and viability of small towns across the UK.
*MTI Toolkit
*Countryside Agency
References
*Countryside Agency press release, 4 December 2003
*Countryside Agency press release, 24 September 2004
category:Rural issues
Category:UK networks and projects