Agenda and minutes

Declarations of Interest

Apologies for absence were received form Yvonne Barnett, Councillor Andrew Johnson and Iain McNab.

Agreed.

Jane Greer outlined three different funds that were being bid for. The Town’s Fund, worth up to £25 million which focussed on the town centre, Levelling Up which was worth up £20 million and was a joint bid with Tendring which focussed on buildings, and finally Community Renewal worth up to £1.35 million which would look at skills and people.

Successful bids for these would act as a stepping stone for recovery in the town and there was positivity around the likely success of the Town’s Fund bid.

She then gave an update on projects which would be supported by the Town’s Fund. Consultants had been appointed for the scheme at Broad Walk and it was progressing. Discussions with the current occupiers of the site at Staple Tye were taking place. Discussions were also taking place with relevant parties at the Cambridge Road junction project.

Harlow College had been successful with Stage 1 of the bid process and had been invited to make a Stage 2 bid by the end of July.

The Levelling Up Fund would providing funding of up to £20 million for a maximum of three projects. All projects had to start by March 2022, and be spent by March 2024. Bids had to be centered around three themes: town centre regeneration; cultural investment; and smaller transport projects.

The project at Stone Cross Square would provide amenity space for residents. The pandemic had highlighted the need for good public realms to aid social recovery and the project would follow the design principles of the project at East Gate.

The Playhouse Quarter project would have pedestrian orientated focus and would provide additional arts and culture spaces. The design narrative was focussed on arts buildings and would frame views of the Playhouse and St Paul’s Church.

The final project was Underpass Transformation. This was linked to two schemes. CCTV would be provided through a separate bid.

The bid had to be submitted by 18 June. In response to questions, Jane Greer explained that criteria for the bid had changed to include a greater emphasis on social value and this included jobs. The Council had engaged economic analysists. There was some scope to refine the bids after they had been submitted, but changes couldn’t be fundamental.

It was agreed that Jane Greer would speak to Councillors Hardware and Swords, and to Robert Halfon MP about the bid before the submission date of 18 June. A meeting of the Growth Board would be organised if needed to sign off on the proposals.

RESOLVED that a further meeting of the Growth Board would be organised prior to 18 June.

This was a joint bid with Tendring and would focus on STEM skills, the Local Procurement Portal and culture led regeneration.

Julie Houston said there would a workshop on 21 June.

Steve Clark said the impact of Covid was minimal currently, but there could be a knock on effect caused by catching up with operations that were delayed. The Indian variant was not currently having an impact on hospital admissions.

They were proceeding with planning for the new hospital.

Including introduction to Naisha Polaine (new Director)

Guy Nicholson said that the new neighbourhoods needed to be part of the fabric of the town. Naisha Polaine added that discussions were taking place about how the governance of the Garden Town could be altered going forward.

The site is currently busy and work is progressing.