Agenda, decisions and minutes

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

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To receive any Chair’s correspondence.

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To consider any business, which by reason of special circumstances, the Chair proposes to accept, under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Following consultation between the Leader and the Chair of the Corporate Performance Panel it has been agreed that in accordance with standing order 12.15,  the Towns Fund Item will be treated as an urgent item and therefore not subject to call in due to the need to submit the paperwork to Government before the end of the 5 day call in, and to prevent risks to the authority’s case for the receipt of funding if the submission was not able to be made as required.

The Chair drew attention to the fact that following consultation between the Leader and the Chair of the Corporate Performance Panel it had been agreed that in accordance with standing order 12.15,  the Towns Fund Item would be treated as an urgent item and therefore not subject to call in due to the need to submit the paperwork to Government before the end of the 5 day call in, and to prevent risks to the authority’s case for the receipt of funding if the submission was not able to be made as required.

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To note the names of any Councillors who wish to address the meeting under Standing Order 34.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before a decision on that item is taken.

The Chair has confirmed that he will permit questions on the Towns Fund item rather than just statements.

The following Councillors attended for the Town Deal item :

A Holmes, A Kemp, J Rust, A Ryves and M de Whalley

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The following Councillors attended for the Town Deal item :

A Holmes, A Kemp, J Rust, A Ryves and M de Whalley.

RESOLVED: 

1.    That the prioritisation of projects to be taken forward using the Town Deal funding as set out in section 4.7 of the report be approved.

2.    That delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Portfolio holder for Regeneration & Development to complete the submission of project confirmations in the Council’s capacity as the Accountable Body to MHCLG by 31^st August 2021.

3.    That the Local Assurance Framework (appendix 2 of the report) be approved for the development and signing off on project business cases with the addition of the involvement of the Portfolio Holder and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Town Board.

4.    That delegated authority be granted to the Assistant Director for Resources and Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Chief Executive, Deputy Leader and Portfolio holder for Regeneration & Development to approve Town Deal business cases in the Council’s capacity as the Accountable Body, to be developed and submitted to government by 30 June 2022.

5.    That the next steps relating to the planning, legal, funding, financial and stakeholder engagement arrangements, including acquisitions required for each project to be progressed during the business case development stage as set out in section 5 of the report be approved.

6.    That the match funding contributions to the Towns Fund projects from funding already agreed in the approved Council’s capital programme as set out in section 9of the report be approved.

7.    That delegated authority be granted to Chief Executive & Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Town Deal Board, Deputy Leader and the Portfolio holder for Finance to authorise the expenditure of the 5% Towns Fund advance in line with the agreed Towns Fund priorities.

8.    That delegated authority be granted to the Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer to agree and complete Funding Agreements with partners that will deliver Town Deal projects on behalf of the Council, as the Accountable body for the Towns Fund programme.

9.    That delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Portfolio holder for Regeneration & Development to determine the resource requirements and funding of these, including recruitment of additional posts where required to manage and deliver the Towns Fund programme as set out in section 10 of the report.

10. That the Council’s appointees to the Town Deal Board be instructed to advance the Council’s position as authorised in paragraphs 1-9 above.

RECOMMENDED:    

11.  That the amendment of the capital programme to incorporate £750,000 match funding towards the Guildhall project be approved.

Reason for Decision

To allow the Council to deliver a Town Deal to deliver the investment priorities in the Town Investment Plan for King’s Lynn, contribute to the Recovery Plan in response to the Coronavirus pandemic and the long term economic prosperity of the town

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Cabinet considered a report which explained that King’s Lynn was one of 101 towns invited by Government to develop proposals for a ‘Town Deal’ and following submission of the Town investment Plan had been offered the maximum award of £25m.

The objective of the Towns Fund programme was to drive the sustainable economic regeneration of towns to support long term economic and productivity growth. A Town Deal was a three way agreement in principle between Government, the lead local authority and the Town Deal Board. The report set out the next steps required to progress and implement the Town Deal for King’s Lynn.

Authority was sought to progress the Town Deal in the Council’s capacity as the “Accountable Body” to MHCLG and as part of the Council’s role on the Town Deal Board.

It was noted that the Portfolio Holder and Chair and Vice Chair of the Town Deal Board Deal  Board would attend meetings of the Local Accountability Framework.   The paper was also to be considered by the Town Deal Board the following day.

It was noted that all the projects had been scored with a consistent approach and the Government had encouraged more than the £25m allocation to be prepared in case some projects didn’t go ahead.  All items had been discussed with Cabinet Members and the Town Deal Board.

Under standing order 34 Councillor Kemp addressed the Cabinet, and asked that improvements be made to the West Lynn Ferry Landing stage; questioned the moving of the library from the existing Carnegie library, and suggested that the market should be rejuvenated.

Councillor Dark drew attention to a press release from the County Council which explained that they were working with the Borough to keep the Carnegie library in use, but that the proposed new community hub would encompass greater space and accessibility and would support the High Street.

Under standing order 34 Councillor de Whalley concurred with the concerns for the current library and the Ferry suggestion.  He expressed concern that the improvements to the gyratory system would take the bulk of the funding to the detriment of walking and cycling. He also referred to the need for the White Barn to be incorporated with the Guildhall project and questioned the numbers put forward who would be using the community hub.

Councillor Middleton agreed with the issue of the Carnegie library.  He reminded members that the scheme was being put forward by Norfolk County Council so details questions on it should be addressed to them.  He took on board the comments re the ferry and would feed them back for consideration.  He acknowledged that the Guildhall elements needed to work together to enable a sustainable complex for the future.  With regard to the gyratory system, he drew attention to the key driver which was to improve the walking cycling and bus journeys through the town, more information on which would be forthcoming.

Under standing order 34  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAB37