Agenda item

KING'S LYNN TOWN DEAL - UPDATE

Meeting of Special meeting - Town Fund Reprioritisation, Cabinet, Wednesday, 8th June, 2022 3.00 pm (Item CAB6)

Decision:

RESOLVED: 1) That the revised Town Deal programme, as the accountable body for the fund be endorsed.

2) That the submission of project adjustment forms to government be endorsed.

3) That the Town Centre Re-purposing project should remain a

priority project to be pursued by the Borough Council be agreed and delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive in consultation with the S151 Officer, Monitoring Officer and Deputy Leader to bring a separate business case forward for this project outside of the Town Deal programme and this would go through the normal democratic processes.

4) The draft business case for each remaining Town Deal project shall be brought to Cabinet, through the Regeneration & Development Panel. Special Cabinet and Regeneration & Development Panel meetings shall, where necessary, be convened for this purpose.

Reason for Decision

To ensure the full Town Deal allocation of £25m is secured for King’s Lynn to deliver against the vision and priorities set out in the Town Investment Plan (2021).

Recommendation 4 was amended to take into advice from the Monitoring Officer. The comments from the Panel in recommendation 3 were supported.

Minutes:

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Councillor Middleton presented a report which provided an update on the progress made to develop detailed Business Cases for the projects approved by the King’s Lynn Town Deal Board and Borough Council (as accountable body) under the government’s Towns Fund programme and sought approval to submit project adjustment forms to government.

The Chair reported that following advice from the Monitoring officer recommendation 4 was superfluous and should be replaced with the following wording:

“4) The draft business case for each remaining Town Deal project shall be brought to Cabinet, through the Regeneration & Development Panel. Special Cabinet and Regeneration & Development Panel meetings shall, where necessary, be convened for this purpose.”

Under standing order 34 Councillor Parish expressed disappointment that the Gyratory and Town Centre Repurposing projects were being withdrawn and the Guildhall and Multi User Hub being favoured over them. He felt that the Hub would detract from businesses in the town and had reservations about it. He questioned the changing of recommendation 4.

Under standing order 34 Councillor Morley referred to the need to rigorously check business cases which he considered would be reviewed in detail by the Government. He considered the Town Centre Repurposing project to be a core project. He questioned the potential revenue in the Guildhall and commented that the Task Group would want robust information on the business cases as they were high risk projects.

Councillor Moriarty confirmed that following the change in recommendation 4, he no longer wished to speak.

Under standing order 34 Councillor Joyce supported the case and commented on the treatment of a member who he considered was trying to be helpful in the Panel meeting. He considered the levelling up fund was to help communities, and the Hub and the Guildhall would not deliver for those communities. He questioned the value of the buildings once completed. He reminded Members of the Carnegie Library.

Councillor Dark referred to the comments made by Councillor Joyce and suggested he raise it with the Chair.

Under standing order 34 Councillor Kemp confirmed the Guildhall project should be at the top of the tree, she commented on the future of the existing Carnegie Library and considered the Multi User Hub would put that at risk. She encouraged the Borough Council to look into ownership of it.

Under standing order 34 Councillor de Whalley commended the existing Carnegie Library rather than the Multi User Hub. With regard to the Active and clean connectivity he encouraged greater emphasis on active travel. With regard to the Town Centre Re-purposing he considered it a worthy project. He also expressed concern that so much money was being aimed at the White Barn when the multi user creativity hub would be located elsewhere. He referred to the future if the Lottery Fund was not forthcoming.

Under standing order 34 Councillor Ryves referred to the high risk and commented that the two schemes was to increase density of the population in the urban areas and maximise private enterprise. He commented on the points raised by other members. He commented that further consideration of the costs should be given. He also considered it should be about increasing housing in the town.

Councillor Dark referred Cabinet to the recommendations from the Regeneration and Environment Panel including the amended recommendation 4.

Councillor Middleton reminded members that the paper did not include the Carnegie building, but the Council had and continued to express support for the building. He also explained that those projects not supported at this stage were still high on the agenda and work would continue on them. With regard to the walking and cycling element, it was the Gyratory project that had been removed, and the aims and objects for the Active Travel Hub were still fully supported. He reminded members that the consultants had been engaged because they were experts in their field. With regard to the Town Board he mentioned that the Board was made up of individuals from business and the community who had championed projects carrying out consultation with the community.

Councillor Long referred to the changes in the world since this process had begun, along with the change in society’s use of libraries which were now community hubs. He referred to the chance to do the right thing by the guildhall and the need to deliver. He commented on the diversity and range of people on the Town Board who had put a lot of commitment to the town and should be applauded.

Councillor Blunt made reference to the work of the Town Board who had been through an in depth process to decide on the projects. He considered that there wouldn’t be any lost projects but that they would continue following further work. With regard to the risk element he confirmed that much consideration was given to it. With regard to the Riverside project he reminded members that the local plan was being amended to reduce the numbers of housing in that area. Work would be carried out on parts of the Riverfront. He drew attention that the projects were being proposed for the benefit of the people of the town and to attract people to it.

Councillor Sandell referred to the Multi User Hub which would help a number of communities under one roof in an accessible location.

In summing up the Leader drew attention to the significant amount of Government money being invested in King’s Lynn which he agreed should be invested wisely. He referred to the comments from the Panel which had supported the report (with the amended recommendation). He drew attention to the fact that the Members of the Town Board who came from the community and the Library service, advice were proposing the projects, and the Borough should not ignore their advice.

He reminded members of the School of Nursing which was the first successful project delivered by the volunteers on the Town Board. He was content with where the Council was with the paper. He reassured Councillor Kemp that he was committed to doing everything he could to keep it in use.

Councillor Middleton drew attention to the amendment to recommendation 3 by the Panel which he considered would be the case anyway, but suggested that the Panel’s recommendation be added.