Agenda item

The Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity to submit a report on the Melton Town Centre Vision.

Cabinet

 

1)    NOTED and ENDORSED the consultation version of the Town Centre Vision and considers any amendments required following feedback received from the Council’s Scrutiny Committee and through the public Consultation;

 

2)    DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity to make any necessary amendments to the Town Centre Vision following the consultation and to finalise the document;

 

3)    ACKNOWLEDGED that formal adoption of the Town Centre Vision will underpin the submission of the Council’s round 2 Levelling Up Fund bid.

Lee Byrne, Regeneration Manager, introduced the report, highlighting that Approval of the Town Centre Vision and Approval to Submit a Levelling Up Funding Bid (next agenda item) were linked. The Town Centre Vision was a strategic framework, containing a number of projects and opportunities, which the Council, its partners and consultees had identified would help achieve ambitions. The Vision created a consensus and focus over the next 10 years to identify which projects needed to be delivered and to seek relevant funding.

 

Feedback from a comprehensive public consultation, Scrutiny Committee and workshops with Members, stakeholders and other organisations would be used to inform the Vision. The public consultation had ended on 13 June with the following results:

 

·       Concerns over the impact of the Bell Centre within the town, with a clear desire to see the site being utilised, as an attraction to the town.

·       Acknowledgment that appropriate car parking arrangements would be essential to the future success of the town.

·       The markets and their offer to the town needed to be developed further, with a view to becoming a central focus of the town and an attraction.

·       Work was needed to secure additional private sector investment for the town.

 

Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity, Councillor Rob Bindloss commented that the high level of engagement had added considerable value to the Vision.  The Vision would act as a foundation for what the Council, its partners, stakeholders and residents believed was required to equip the town centre for the future, addressing its ever-changing needs and success as a prosperous, forward thinking market town.  The Vision would be used as a framework, to support and inform future funding bids when they arise and the majority of the projects and activities detailed within the Vision would be led by partners with Council support, whilst others may entirely be delivered by the private sector.

 

During discussion the following points were noted:

 

·       Members thanked the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity and officers for their work.

·       The Vision detailed a number of projects and it was important to ensure that the Council clearly communicated to the public which of these projects were deliverable.

·       Members commented that it was important that Council partners recognised their role in improving the town centre and they reiterated that Council partners would lead on projects and activities, with Council support when needed.

·       The Council should be realistic about what it would be able to achieve and should not over commit financially or in relation to public expectation.

·       The Council was committed to continued engagement with businesses, residents and other stakeholders as Melton’s high street evolved.

·       The document was key to helping create Melton as a visitor destination and this was an important portion of the economy to be secured.

 

Cabinet

 

1)    NOTED and ENDORSED the consultation version of the Town Centre Vision and considers any amendments required following feedback received from the Council’s Scrutiny Committee and through the public Consultation;

 

2)    DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity to make any necessary amendments to the Town Centre Vision following the consultation and to finalise the document;

 

3)    ACKNOWLEDGED that formal adoption of the Town Centre Vision will underpin the submission of the Council’s round 2 Levelling Up Fund bid.

 

Reason for Recommendations

Priority 3 of the Council’s Corporate Strategy 2020-24 ‘Delivering sustainable and inclusive growth in Melton’ identifies the following focus areas:

 

·       Work with our partners to promote Melton and deliver the promise of the ‘Rural Capital of Food’.

·       Regenerate our town centre, encourage inward investment and create jobs.

·       Deliver inclusive growth by improving access to higher paid jobs, improving skills and tackling low wage economy.

 

Melton Mowbray town centre is the engine of the borough’s economy and is a key visitor destination. A long-term vision is required to steer the development of the town centre over the next ten years.

 

The Town Centre Vision document is accompanied by an action plan which includes projects and activities identified by the Council and its partners that would support delivery of the vision. The Vision will help direct investment and funding towards delivery of projects in the future.

 

The Government has recently published the Levelling Up White Paper and the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. The Levelling Up Fund (LUF) Round 2 and UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) have also recently been announced. This Vision and action Plan will support the Council’s efforts in seeking funding to deliver projects, through these funding programmes.