Agenda item

To advise Cabinet of the progress and proposed submission of a bid for the Future High Streets Fund.

To seek Cabinet’s support for substantial capital investment in Town Centre Proposals.

To seek Cabinet’s support for the commitment of Council owned property to the proposed schemes.

To seek Cabinet’s direction on the continued development of proposals within the scope of the bid and beyond it.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a) notes the progress of the bid for the Future High Streets Fund and the proposed submission of that bid on, or before, 31 July 2020;

b) approves, ‘in principle’, the addition of an allocation in the Capital Programme in order to facilitate substantial capital investment in Town Centre Proposals, subject to the normal approval and business case processes in respect of the detail of the schemes being developed;

c) approves, ‘in principle’, the acquisition of strategic property and the appropriation of currently owned property pursuant to the proposed schemes, subject to its specific approval of the terms and details in each case;

d) instructs Officers, in partnership with officers of Essex County Council, to continue the development of proposals within the scope of the bid (as set out in the Portfolio Holder’s report) in anticipation of award of a significant grant. Such proposals to be subject to detailed business cases and a formal decision by Cabinet; and

e) instructs Officers, in partnership with officers of Essex County Council, to develop further complimentary outline proposals, in line with the bid proposals, for ‘Back to Business’ initiatives, the further rejuvenation of Clacton Town Centre and the enhancement of its links to the Seafront and all parts of the District. Such proposals to be subject to further funding reports and a formal decision by Cabinet.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a detailed report of the Business & Economic Growth (A.4) which:-

· advised it of the progress of, and proposed submission of a bid for the Future High Streets Fund;

· sought its support for substantial capital investment in Town Centre Proposals;

· sought its support for the commitment of Council owned property to the proposed schemes; and

· sought its direction on the continued development of proposals within the scope of the bid and beyond the bid.

Cabinet recalled that at its meeting held on 13 September 2019 it had, inter alia, approved a vision for Clacton Town Centre and the consultations and funding for the preparation of a bid for the Future High Streets fund, including:

“the Director for Planning and Regeneration, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders, be authorised to submit a detailed business case for Clacton Town Centre to the Government’s ‘Future High Streets Fund’ by the deadline of 30th April 2020.”

Subsequently, the Government had extended the deadline for submissions to 31 July 2020 and, in addition, the Council’s Management Team had been restructured andthe Deputy Chief Executive & Corporate Director (Place and Economy) was now the relevant delegated officer.

It was reported that both the District and County Council’s officers had carried out consultations and investigations and had prepared a bid proposal for submission.

Members were made aware that the Portfolio Holder for Business & Economic Growth and the Deputy Leader of the Council & Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance and Governance had both been consulted and had concurred with the proposed submission of the bid.

Cabinet was informed that the Council was promoting recovery from the COVID 19 crisis and a Back to Business approach to the economy which interlocked closely with the renewal of the Town Centre. Details of the bid were set out in the current position section of the Portfolio Holder’s report.

It was reported that the guidance provided in relation to the bid submission indicated a requirement for co-funding of the proposals to be demonstrated.

It was considered that the proposals created included the redevelopment and reuse or disposal of property owned by both the District Council and the County Council and the potential acquisition of further property.

Cabinet was advised that the proposals also required capital investment by the Authorities which would be offset by partner investment, grant and future potential disposals.

Members’ attention was drawn to the fact that Officers from Essex County Council were seeking approval from their Recovery Advisory Board to the principle of use of County Council property and a capital investment. It was proposed that TDC’s Cabinet made a similar ‘in principle’ commitment in support of the bid.

Cabinet was reminded that the amount of Government grant would be determined during the bid process and detailed design and negotiations had not yet been fully concluded. It was therefore proposed at this stage for commitments to be ‘in principle’ only and for specific investment decisions to be quantified in business case form for a future specific decision by the Cabinet.

It was reported that Officers were also working with consultants on potential public sector relocation to the area and with the Clinical Commissioning Group on a potential Seacole Centre for community health services.

Cabinet was advised that the process of preparing the bid had identified a significant gap between useful interventions and the available funding. There were significant further opportunities for community and cultural activities, transport and open space, covered areas links to the coast and a number of other aesthetic and management improvements. It was proposed therefore that officers should prepare in outline a framework for such initiatives in order to prepare for potential future partnerships and funding schemes.

The Portfolio Holder (Councillor Newton) informed Cabinet that an exemption from call-in in respect of the Cabinet’s decision on this matter had been granted by the Chairman of the Resources and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Councillor M E Stephenson).

Councillor Stephenson informed Cabinet that he had agreed to grant the aforementioned exemption due to the fact that the Government had set a deadline of 31 July 2020 for the submission of bids for the Future High Streets Fund.

Having considered the proposals and actions contained within the Portfolio Holder’s report:-

It was moved by Councillor Newton, seconded by Councillor G V Guglielmi and:-