Minutes:
The Director of City Regeneration and Development informed the Committee of the progress made in relation to the Department for Communities’ (DFC) Town Centre Revitalisation Fund.
She provided an update on the first tranche of grant capital funding which included: Signage, dressing and messaging; Physical interventions and streetscape improvements/Reimaging Public Space Business Grants; and Access and Connectivity
– Physical Interventions. She explained the progress which had been made in relation to emerging proposals and physical interventions in the Cathedral Quarter, Church Lane, The Linen Quarter, Castle Place Hub, Marquis Street, together with an update on proposed Parklets and Pavement Café Licence Applications.
During discussion, Members questioned how the business community and community groups, which had been recommended by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in August, were applying for the available grants and suggested that a guidance note would be beneficial to help with proposals for such funding.
In response to question from a Member, the Director of City Regeneration and Development advised that further information would be provided to the Committee in relation to proposals for the removal of Parking Bays associated with the interventions outlined in the report
The Committee:
1. Noted the progress in the delivery of the priority areas and interventions supported under tranche one of the DfC Covid-19 Revitalisation Fund programme, and noted the status update for the tranche two funding allocation;
2. Noted the level of demand and proposed additional budget, as agreed at the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on the 18th September, in relation to the Business Grants;
3. Agreed the proposed priority areas of capital support to be developed under tranche two, pending approval and receipt of the Letter of Offer from DfC in mid-October;
4. Agreed the proposals with regard to the additional £160k of revenue monies within the DfC Revitalisation Fund, pending approval and receipt of the Letter of Offer from DfC in mid-October;
5. Noted the criticality of a partnership approach from the DfI and DfC in providing the rapid deployment of statutory and legislative powers to enable the emerging projects to be implemented in accordance with the objectives of the programme;
6. Agreed the process of providing Funding Agreements with the BIDs as outlined in the report, and in accordance with the objectives of the DfC Covid-19 Revitalisation Fund programme;
7. Agreed the process of providing Letters of Offer for community and business groups as outlined in the report, and in accordance with the objectives of the DfC Covid-19 Revitalisation Fund programme;
8. Noted that further information would be provided in relation to proposals for the removal of Parking Bays associated with the interventions outlined in the report; and
9. Agreed that a note would be provided to the Committee by the Director of City Regeneration and Development in relation to the business community and community groups, as recommended by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in August 2020, bringing forward proposals under the physical interventions and streetscape improvements strand of the DfC Revitalisation Fund.