Three local jobs are being advertised to help with Grimsby’s Town of Culture application.

Grimsby is among 15 towns that have been shortlisted for the first UK Town of Culture competition.

The roles include a creative lead, a community lead facilitator and a young people’s lead facilitator.

Melanie Onn, MP for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, said: “This is an opportunity for local people to play a direct role in shaping a bid that reflects who we are, where we’ve come from and where we want to go.”

North East Lincolnshire Council is looking for a creative lead to help design an “ambitious programme of events and activities that reflects Grimsby’s identity, heritage and future aspirations”.

The community lead facilitator will speak to local people and gather ideas and feedback to make sure the public have a say in the town’s bid.

The council is also looking for someone to work with children and young people to reflect their ambitions for Grimsby’s future in the application.

The budget for the three roles adds up to £32,000, more than half of the £60,000 funding boost the town gets to develop its full bid.

Onn said: “I would really encourage creatives, facilitators and community leaders to consider applying and help showcase Grimsby on a national stage.”

Dale Wells, co-owner of the Turntable Gallery in Grimsby, said hiring local people to help shape the town’s bid was essential.

“It is vitally important that the people and the creatives of Grimsby are given a voice,” he said.

“The best people to ask are those people who drive the culture of Grimsby.”

The jobs will run from September to November this year. Applications are open and will close on 1 September at 14:00 BST.

More information can be found on the council’s website.

Grimsby’s Town of Culture application is due to be submitted on 30 November.

Wells said: “I think that we need to take this as a real big opportunity to not only shout about Grimsby, but to actually see what we can achieve when we come together as a town, but also as a community.

“So I think that thinking big and looking above our immediate horizon is what should come from this bid stage.”

Wells said it would be an “incredible achievement” if the town won the competition.

The winner will be chosen by a judging panel early next year and will be crowned the UK Town of Culture 2028, receiving a £3m grant for cultural events.

Two runners-up will receive £250,000 each.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices