Issue - meetings

Report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations:

1.    That Cabinet note the successful outcome of Rotherham’s Towns Fund and Levelling Up Fund Round 1 bids and the positive progress made to date.

2.    That Cabinet note the submission of a further Levelling Up Fund bid, by 6  ...  view the full agenda text for item 149

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update on progress and sought approval to implement the Regeneration Programme projects which had been awarded funding via the Levelling Up Fund and Towns Fund.

The Town Deal has a £3.6bn programme which sought to “unleash the economic potential of 100  ...  view the full minutes text for item 149

To consider a report providing an update on progress and seeking approval to implement the Regeneration Programme projects which have been awarded funding via the Levelling Up Fund and Towns Fund.

Cabinet Portfolio: Jobs and the Local Economy

Strategic Directorate: Regeneration and Environment Services

Consideration was given to a report that was submitted for pre-decision scrutiny ahead of the Cabinet Meeting to be held on 16 May 2022. It provided an update on progress and sought approval to implement the Regeneration Programme projects which have been awarded funding via the Levelling Up Fund and Towns Fund. A full list and summary of the projects was appended to the report.

The Town Deal was a £3.6bn programme seeking to ‘unleash the economic potential of 100 places across the country. In January 2021 Rotherham submitted a Town Investment Plan seeking £35m for projects across Templeborough, Eastwood and the Town Centre. In June 2021, Heads of Terms were received offering £31.6m. Stage 2 of the Town Deal process required a local assurance process for each project culminating in the submission of ‘Project Summary’ documentation to Department for Levelling-Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) by 27 June 2022.

The opportunity to bid to Round 1 of the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) was announced in March 2021. In June 2021 the Council submitted three bids seeking investment to support projects in the Leisure Economy, Principal Areas for Growth and Rotherham Town Centre. An announcement was made in October 2021 that Rotherham had successfully secured funding for two of the three submitted bids for the Leisure Economy (£19.5m) and Rotherham Town Centre (£20m) totalling £39.5m. In February 2022, Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) were signed between the Council and DLUHC for each of the two successful Round 1 bids, setting out the terms, principles and practices that will apply regarding the administration and delivery of the

A second round of funding was announced on 23 March 2022. The Council intended to re-submit a bid proposal for Wath and Dinnington Town Centres to this fund with a deadline of 6 July 2022.

Given the significant amount of funding involved it was requested that progress of the Town Deal and Levelling Up fund be added to the Risk Register to be considered by the Audit Committee.

Confirmation was received that the projects listed were on track for their anticipated completion dates.

The consultation regarding the ‘Transforming Cities Infrastructure’ relates to the transforming cities fund which is not directly linked to the report although the long-term strategic plan in and around the town centre looks at the wider strategy and objectives for the town centre and how those work.  The consultation results associated with this were being assessed and would be responded to in due course.

The funding was welcomed but were the changes proposed for the town centre right for the current climate and environment or should they have been made previously.  It was confirmed that the changes were part of the masterplan created in conjunction with the business sector and community.  The Strategic Director Regeneration and Environment explained the Council received one of the largest Town Deals in the country along with two of the three bids for the Levelling Up Fund.  In terms of the ambitions, a substantial amount was for other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31