Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.           That Cabinet endorses the Town Investment Plan Emerging Project Summary (Appendix 5).

2.           That delegated authority is given to the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy and the S.151 Officer, to agree the final content and submit the Town Investment Plan and subsequently to agree the Town Deal Heads of Terms.

3.           That approval is given to acquire the freehold interest necessary to enable a Town Deal Accelerator scheme as detailed in Appendix 6, and the Head of Legal Services be instructed to complete the necessary legal documentation once terms for the acquisition have been agreed.

4.           That delegated authority is given to the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy and the S.151 Officer, to agree the final Town Deal Accelerator scheme as detailed in Appendix 6, if the preferred scheme is not progressed.

Consideration was given to the report which set out in detail how the Town Deal was a £3.6bn programme seeking to “unleash the economic potential” of one hundred places across the country.

Rotherham had been given an opportunity to bid for up to £25m through this Fund or up to £50m if it was considered that “exceptional circumstances” applied. Bidding would take the form of a Town Investment Plan.

This report, therefore, provided an update on the development of the Town Investment Plan and sought approval for the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy and the Section 151 Officer to submit the Town Investment Plan and any necessary supporting documentation.

A requirement of the Town Deal programme was that the Council set up an overarching Town Deal Board. This was established in January, 2020. The robust Town Deal Board served an advisory function and a vehicle through which the vision and strategy for the town was defined and the Town Investment Plan produced.

The Town Investment Plan would cover a geography prescribed by MHCLG and was detailed in Appendix 2. Potential interventions focused on the Eastwood, Templeborough and Town Centre areas were suggested and examined to reflect the Town Deal geography.  A number of investment opportunities were identified and a summary was provided.

Funding for the Town Deal Accelerator was entirely dependent upon the scheme being delivered by 31^st March, 2021. In addition to the preferred scheme, further options for the Town Deal Accelerator were being explored should it not be possible to secure the necessary agreements and approvals to allow the preferred scheme to progress to be delivered in time and since the report was submitted the Government had opened invitations from December, 2020.

Work was ongoing with the Town Deal Board to agree the detail and confirm the various projects for the bid. The next meeting of the Board was scheduled for Tuesday, 20^th October, 2020. 

This report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-scrutiny process who were in support of the recommendations.

Resolved:-

(1)  That the Town Investment Plan Emerging Project Summary (Appendix 5) be endorsed.

(2)  That delegated authority be given to the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy and the Section 151 Officer, to agree the final content and submit the Town Investment Plan and subsequently to agree the Town Deal Heads of Terms.

(3)  That the acquisition of the freehold interest necessary to enable a Town Deal Accelerator scheme as detailed in Appendix 6 be approved, and the Head of Legal Services be instructed to complete the necessary legal documentation once terms for the acquisition have been agreed.

(4)  That delegated authority be given to the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy and the Section 151 Officer, to agree the final Town Deal Accelerator scheme as detailed in Appendix 6, if the preferred scheme is not progressed.