Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence from Board Members who are unable to attend this meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Nancy Barrett and James Conn.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 3 November 2022.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 3^rd November 2022 be approved as a correct record.

Members will be asked to advise if there are any items on the Agenda in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, which would prevent them from participating in any discussion on the item of participating in a vote upon the item, or any other interests.

No interests were declared.

Most debates take place in public.  This only changes where there is a need to consider certain issues, for instance, commercially sensitive information or details concerning an individual.  You will be told at this point whether there are any items on the agenda which are to be discussed in private, by virtue of the reports containing information which falls within a category of exempt information as contained at Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

It was noted that exempt information was submitted in relation to Agenda Items 9, 16, 17 and 18.

The meeting will hear any questions from the public. 

Members of the public can ask questions relating to the work of the Town Board or items set out in this agenda.

No public questions were received.

The Board will receive any petitions and hear any deputations from members of the public. A deputation is where up to five people can attend the meeting and make a presentation on some particular issue of concern. A member of the public can also hand in a petition at the meeting but that petition should relate to something on which the Board has powers and responsibilities.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10 (2), Members of the Public should provide at least 24 hours’ notice of presenting a deputation.

No deputations or petitions were received.

To receive an update on Dewsbury Market.

Contact: Jaime Nalson, Operational Manger – Venues

               Karen Roche, Markets Manager

The Board welcomed Karen Roche, Markets Manager and Jaime Nalson, Acting Head of Service, to the meeting to give a presentation on the Dewsbury Market.

Karen Roche and Jaime Nalson gave a presentation which highlighted the next steps, as follows –

i.      Review the designs to meet the budget in light of increased financial pressures

ii.    BDP – Designers and Architects will be consulted in the new year to review the options to meet the budget challenge

iii.   This approach was covered under the existing cabinet report, but does delay the construction programme.

iv.   In March officers will be planning to come back with a further update with more details on the revised proposals, costings and timetable

v.    Continue to work closely with the traders to support them through this process

The Board noted that the project was not deliverable within current budgets and that there were issues with the permanency of some market traders.  Board members raised concerns regarding the future of the project and its importance to succeed within timescales.  The Board were informed that they would need to look at the scope of the project, whilst still understanding the commerciality and maintain the key principle of the vision to be market friendly.

Board members fed back on comments received from some market traders and advised on a number of key issues raised –

i.      No incentive for some market traders to return as they do not want to have to buy a parking ticket every 3 hours;

ii.    Muslim women find it difficult to find a prayer room and a suggestion was made to liaise with the local mosque for a solution.

Karen Roche advised the Board that some market traders did trade at different markets as well as Dewsbury.  The Board raised concerns around the ability to attract market traders to trade at Dewsbury for 6 days per week.  The Board was also informed that the police had asked for the market to have a secure perimeter fence to ensure safety of public on an evening due to anti-social behaviour in the area and noted that a security guard and dog has been appointed at an additional cost to the Council.

The Board discussed the following areas in terms of the scope of the project –

·         In relation to leased traders, 6 day trading does not work as traders go to other markets to attract a different audience;

·         Need to integrate the Dewsbury Market with digital offer for traders;

·         Where will the homeless people go who are currently sleeping in the market - market staff regularly report individuals who are homeless and sleeping on the market to Community Safety where there is a dedicated officer who deals with this.

·         Concerns were raised around delivery of the project and pace

·         Want to retain an element of traditional market

·         Security is a big issue

·         Heated areas would encourage people to stay longer

Officers agreed to speak to DLUHC with regard to the principle of moving funding around the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To consider the Historic Places report findings.

https://historicengland.org.uk/content/docs/committees-panels/historic-places-panel-review-paper-dewsbury-jul22/

Contact: Charles Smith, Head of Investment North - Historic England

The Board welcomed Charles Smith from Historic England to the meeting to give a presentation on the Historic Places Panel Review Paper (July 2022).

In conclusion, Charles Smith advised the Board on the recommendations from the paper which outlined that Dewsbury needed to do the following –

i. talk itself up

ii.engage with local businesses

i.      rethink the market refurbishment

ii.    develop an integrated rail and bus hub

iii.   widen the vision for public realm

iv.   cultural engagement as a tool for regeneration

v.    scale up the town centre housing opportunity

The Board agreed to link the results of the historic assessment with the cultural events programme.

The Board noted that the accommodation in Dewsbury should be good quality and not be of a low standard and needed to be a residential offer that attracted people to the area. Joanne Bartholomew advised the Board that any new development must meet space standards and that the private sector and fire enforcement were looking to take action against private landlords.  The Board agreed that Planning should be consulted to understand the planning strategy in Dewsbury for development.

The Board welcomed the report from Historic England and advised that it would be part of future dialogue over the coming months. 

RESOLVED –

1)    That Charles Smith be thanked for his presentation and update.

2)    That the Board should link the results of the historic assessment with the cultural events programme.  

3)    That officers speak to the Planning department to gain an understanding of the planning strategy in Dewsbury for development.

4)    That the figures on the number of enforcement incidents in relation to private landlords should be considered at a future meeting.

To receive a verbal update on the Creative Hub.

Contact: Nancy Barrett

The Board received the verbal update relating to the Creative Hub.

RESOLVED – The Board noted the verbal update.

To consider updated Project Status Reports.

Contact: Michelle Illingworth, ER Project Officer - Dewsbury Town Investment Plan

           The Board received the Business Case updates. 

RESOLVED –

The Board noted the updates.

To consider the draft Terms of Reference.

Keith Ramsay, Chair – Dewsbury Town Deal Board

This item was deferred due to lack of time.

To receive a verbal update.

Keith Ramsay – Chair of Board

The Chair of the Board gave an update to advise that he had met with Carter Jonas and Clavin (Leeds).

RESOLVED –

That the update be noted.

To consider any other business.

Please notify the Chair of any other business items no later than Monday 12 December 2022.

No other items of business were considered.

The dates of future meetings are: -

19 January 2023

23 March 2023

18 May 2023

20 July 2023

28 September 2023

16 November 2023

For Terms of Reference please visit

www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/regeneration-and-development/pdf/deswbury-town-board-terms-of-reference-jan-2021.pdf

The dates of future meetings are:-

19 January 2023

23 March 2023

18 May 2023

20 July 2023

28 September 2023

16 November 2023

To resolve that under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business, on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To consider exempt information in relation to agenda item 7.

(Exempt information in accordance with Schedule 12A Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, namely it contains information relating to the financial and business affairs of third parties (including the Authority holding that information). It is considered that the disclosure of the information would adversely affect those third parties including the Authority and therefore the public interest in maintaining the exemption, which would protect the rights of an individual or the Authority, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information and providing greater openness and transparency in relation to public expenditure in the Authority’s decision making.)

The Board noted that there were no other issues to discuss on this item.

To receive exempt information in relation to Agenda Item 9.

(Exempt information in accordance with Schedule 12A Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, namely it contains information relating to the financial and business affairs of third parties (including the Authority holding that information). It is considered that the disclosure of the information would adversely affect those third parties including the Authority and therefore the public interest in maintaining the exemption, which would protect the rights of an individual or the Authority, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information and providing greater openness and transparency in relation to public expenditure in the Authority’s decision making.)

The Board noted the exempt information.

To consider exempt information in relation to agenda item 10.

(Exempt information in accordance with Schedule 12A Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, namely it contains information relating to the financial and business affairs of third parties (including the Authority holding that information). It is considered that the disclosure of the information would adversely affect those third parties including the Authority and therefore the public interest in maintaining the exemption, which would protect the rights of an individual or the Authority, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information and providing greater openness and transparency in relation to public expenditure in the Authority’s decision making.)

The Board noted the exempt information.