Agenda item

To provide the Panel with an update on the Small Centres Programme.

Contact:

Simon Taylor, Head of Town Centre Programmes

The Panel received an update on Small Centres Programme from Simon Taylor, Head of Town Centre Programmes, which provided information on:

·         Background and recommendation to Cabinet in March 2021

·         Progress on engagement through place standard exercise

·         Progress on Master/Investment planning

·         Anticipated Next Steps

The Panel noted that in March 2021 Cabinet considered a report which proposed investing in town and village centres outside of Huddersfield and Dewsbury.  The report was based upon an initial investment of £10m across the district.  The initial Cabinet report proposed that 4 key centres – Batley, Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike and Holmfirth be the focus for the initial round of investment, each being allocated £1.5m.

The proposal was matched with clear processes to follow.  Essentially the key elements were:

·         Ward Members at the heart of the programme

·         Place Standard exercise to be undertaken

·         Investment/Master plan to be prepared for each centre with sing off by Strategic Director and portfolio holder

·         Projects to a value of £1.5m were to be agreed.

In addition, the report set out the types of projects that could be funded.  This included:

·         Supporting retail, employment, community and local centre activity

·         Sustainable travel and climate change measures

·         Improved community safety

·         Culture, art and leisure activities

·         Public realm/landscaping, heritage, conservation and better design.

Simon Taylor informed the Panel that part of the process to assemble a programme of investment for each of the identified small centres was to undertake a stage of community engagement.  To ensure this was consistent across all four centres the place standards tool had been utilised.  The questions used were to help build up a picture across a number of themes which ranged from moving around, play and recreation, feeling safe and social contact.

The Panel was informed that as part of the process of developing projects and delivering the Small Centres Programme, Cabinet required master/investment plans to be developed for each of the four identified small centres and two sets of consultants had been appointed to take the process forward.  Once the masterplan was completed it needed to be agreed by the Strategic Director and lead Cabinet portfolio holder.

The anticipated next steps were:

·         To continue dialogue with Ward Members

·         Complete Place Standard reports

·         Develop and agree the investment/master plans

·         Develop project ideas

·         Move to Delivery phases

·         Agree the approach for phase 2 funding

Simon Taylor explained that the other remaining £4m would be available to deliver changes in other town and village centres and a further Cabinet report would be required to outline how this would be administered.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding engagement through the place standard exercise, the percentage of responses received from residents and the quality of the engagement, Simon Taylor advised that a low response rate had been received partly due to covid and the way some of the exercises had taken place, and partly due to other approaches that had been taken in town centres.  Simon Taylor confirmed that he was guided by the Citizens Engagement Team and would raise the concerns of low percentages, along with the comments received from the place standard exercise, with the Citizens Engagement Team.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding the cost of the consultants appointed, Simon Taylor advised that a tendering process had taken place and the cost was competitive.  Simon Taylor explained that he did not have the exact costings of the consultants at the meeting but was able to provide the panel with the information at a later date.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding signing off the master/investment plans and who this would involve, Simon Taylor advised that the Cabinet report in March 2021 had set out how the investment plans would be signed off.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding milestones and how this could be set out, Simon Taylor advised that he required a team to work on the project and was in the process of recruiting staff, a Team Leader had so far been recruited and when they were in place a more tangible program could be put in place.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding the 14 themes from the Place Standard exercise and an understanding of all the themes, Simon Taylor advised that  he would speak with the Engagement Team and liaise with Andrew Bird separately to go through all the technical details.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding Ward Members being part of the decision making, Simon Taylor advised that Ward Members were a valuable source of information in their own communities and would be instrumental in helping to progress projects that were selected. Simon Taylor was confident that communities and Ward Members were listened to and that the plan put forward for sign off was right for all involved.

RESOLVED: 

That the panel noted the update and thanked officers and Cabinet Members involved in the process.  It was also noted that Simon Taylor would:

·         Liaise with the Citizens Engagement Team regarding the Place Standard exercise

·         Provide a project milestone programme

·         Provide the panel with the costings of the two consultants

·         Speak with the Engagement Team and liaise with Andrew Bird, Panel Member Co-optee, on the technical details of the 14 themes of the Place Standard Exercise