Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Chief Executive.

1.         Approval granted for an estimated package to deliver the levelling up funding scheme, which will be supported by a levelling up funding bid.  This is subject to review once any successful bid is announced. 

2.         Acknowledged that the financial commitment from the Council will be off set through revenue returns from the scheme.

3.         Acknowledged that costs are budget and subject to further detailed design.

4.         Acknowledged that progression of the scheme development will be subject to successfully securing the levelling up funding.

5.         Acknowledged that scheme design will have to progress at risk ahead of confirmation of funding to ensure the delivery programme can be achieved.

6.         Approval granted that a budget of Progression of the design will require a financial commitment (approx 2% of project costs) prior to securing the Levelling up Funding.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Cullens, queried if the discussion on the item could be held in public, noting that commercially sensitive information would have to be considered in private session. 

The Monitoring Officer, Chris Moister, advised this would be acceptable, but stressed the need for caution. 

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley, gave a short presentation which set out the plans for the Levelling Up Funding bid (LUF), and noted that councils were invited to submit a bid no later than 6 July 2022. 

The timescales for the funding bids were tight and therefore it was important that the schemes included were already partly progressed and/or the land was owned by the council.  The schemes also needed to focus on the three key properties of the LUF, town centre regeneration, cultural and heritage and transport improvements. 

Members considered the proposals relating to the Civic Square, Bengal Street and Hollinshead Health Hub. 

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Cullens, queried when the council had been informed that it would be in the level one category.  This information would be confirmed following the meeting, but was thought to be early May 2022.  The need for consultation with the public and members as the schemes progressed was noted. 

Councillor Bradley responded to a query regarding the timescales for planning applications to be determined and noted that conversations had already taken place with planning officers regarding the proposed schemes and the proposed timescales to submit an application was set out in the report. 

The debate continued in private session.