The Board will receive a report on the recently published Plan for Neighbourhoods which was replacing the previous Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns (LTPFTs) programme.

The Board received a report on the recently published Plan for Neighbourhoods which was replacing the previous Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns (LTPFTs) programme.  The programme continued to provide up to £20 million per place over a 10-year period. The approach would involve Neighbourhood Boards (albeit they could be called ‘Town Boards’ if that was already in place and there was no desire to change the name). The Boards would develop and implement comprehensive Regeneration Plans. These plans would outline a 10-year vision and a 4-year investment strategy, focusing on long-term, sustainable solutions rather than short-term fixes. As was the case under the LTPFT’s programme, funding would be split 75% capital and 25% revenue.  Time had been set aside to establish strong foundations, including governance, management systems, and community involvement.

The Board had an imperative around confirming its membership and the geographical area that would be covered by the Regeneration Plans, vision and investment strategy. MHCLG required this to be confirmed by 22 April 2025.

Natalie Nohan addressed the Board and confirmed that there was no requirement for the name of the Board to change and that a key element of the difference between the LTPFTs and the new Neighbourhood Plan programme was the emphasis of a ground up approach to the development of the Regeneration Plan and vision. Natalie also referenced the data pack that would be provided to the Board.

The Board was advised that the new Neighbourhood Plan programme was specifically different to the previous LTPFTs programme in that:

1.     Boards were being given a longer timescale to ensure that a) the engagement gives us the opportunity to hear from everybody, especially marginalised communities; and b) the Board had time to get established and to get the plan right;

2.     The focus was around 3 new objectives aligned to the government’s missions:

a.     Thriving places - improve physical infrastructure & public services;

b.     Stronger communities - enhance social capital and community resilience, build social trust;

c.     Taking back control - empowering local people to shape their future;

3.     It was a much broader programme, and Government had doubled the number of interventions that the budget could be spent on without requiring additional business cases to cover such things as:

•       Regeneration, High Streets, and Heritage: Public realm improvements (including cleaning street furniture and enforcing shop-front improvements), enhancing green spaces, arts and cultural activities.

•       Housing: Safe and supportive environments for rough sleepers, neighbourhood renewal, climate-resilient homes, community land trusts.

•       Work, Productivity, and Skills: Business support, skills provision, support for the visitor economy.

•       Cohesion: Measures to improve cohesion (e.g., different cultures), impactful volunteering.

•       Health and Wellbeing: Community-level health provision, co-location of services in retail spaces, prevention, drug and alcohol support.

•       Transport: Active travel enhancements, local bus services, improved rail connectivity and access.

•       Safety and Security: Designing out crime, police interventions, tackling anti-social behaviour, town centre management (improving local trading, action plans, etc.).

•       Education and Opportunity: School-based programmes to support young people's development, support for families and young children, community-based adult learning.

4.     The Investment Plan would need to focus on the first four, rather than the first three years; and

5.     There was a strong emphasis on crowding-in other investment.

Delivery funding would be released from the beginning of the 2026/27 financial year, once the Regeneration Plan has been approved. To facilitate this, an additional £200,000 of capacity funding would be released at the start of the 2025/26 financial year. The intentions for the release of funds were as set out in the table below.  The guidance stated funding could be rolled over from one year to the next.

The figures in the table were all hundreds of thousands of pounds.

*including £250k from 2024/25                                                           Total    £19,537K

In the discussion of this item, the evidence from previous new deal measures as to what could make the biggest impacts could be examined and, in respect of crowding in funding, the opportunities of the intended Mayoral County Combined Authority should be examined.  The discussion also looked at the preparedness for work of those leaving education and the advantage of apprenticeship schemes.  The advantages for young people of these first jobs could not be over-estimated in encouraging confidence and improving an appreciation and application of manners and customer service.  Roles in the creative industries were also good for expanding opportunities for young people.

The anticipated impact of the increase in the minimum wage for those under 21 years of age was briefly reflected upon by a number of employers at the Board meeting.

It was AGREED:

(1)      to note the overview of the new Plan for Neighbourhoods provided to the Board (which itself highlighted the changes that had been made from the position as it applied to the previous Long Term Plan for Towns programme);

(2)      to approve the full retention of the Board’s membership and governance structure to serve as the new Board under the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme, noting that Health and Education were already represented on the Board;

(3)      to amend the Clacton-on-Sea ‘Plan for Neighbourhoods’ area/boundary to include the mixed use development areas identified in the Local Plan to 2033 of Hartley Gardens, Rouses Farm and Cooks Green Farm (north of the Clacton Shopping Village); and

(4)      to authorise the District Council’s Deputy Chief Executive to submit the above decisions to the Government’s MHCLG by the deadline for confirmation of these matters of 22 April 2025.