Agenda item

(a)       That the progress in delivering the priorities for town centre regeneration as agreed at the March 2020 Cabinet meeting be noted;

(b)       That the resource implications of delivering the programme and consideration for their inclusion in the development of the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Capital Programme be noted; and

(c)        That the Committee support giving delegated authority to the Chief Officer (Planning, Environment and Economy) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development to bid for external funding as it becomes available to support the approaches to town centre regeneration set out in this report.

The Chief Officer (Planning, Environment & Economy) provided background information and introduced a report to update Members on the current challenges facing town centres and the regional and local responses being put into place. 

The Enterprise and Regeneration Manager presented the report and outlined the strategic context, the Flintshire town centre regeneration strategic approach and the funding currently available to support it, and the programmes of work underway in Flintshire.  He explained that the report also proposed an increased emphasis on intervention to create more sustainable use of properties within town centres.

Councillor Paul Shotton  commented on the issue of unused and unsightly properties in towns and on the resource implications for investment in Flintshire towns.  Whilst welcoming the funding made available by the Welsh Government he commented that it either required repayment or match funding and asked if this would be a problem for the Council going forward. The Enterprise and Regeneration Manager advised that the enforcement programme would begin in June this year to set out a realistic and robust programme of work around empty properties.  Regarding the concerns around funding expressed by Councillor Shotton the Enterprise and Regeneration Manager confirmed that where grant funding was available it required a minimum of 30% funding from another source and loan funding would need to be paid back.  If match funding could not be found then the Council could not participate in projects.

Councillor Owen Thomas expressed concerns that the availability of shopping in town centres might not exist in the future.

Councillor Dennis Hutchinson referred to the availability of funding for investment in Flintshire towns and asked if funding was available for Buckley Town Centre, citing the restoration of Buckley Public Baths as a project in need of urgent funding.  The Chief Officer Planning Environment & Economy referred to the development of action plans for each town centre to show funders how the package of property (and other) interventions fitted together into a whole.  He advised that in the first instance, suggestions were needed from the local community to determine the projects to come forward.  The Chief Officer and Enterprise and Regeneration Manager also responded to Councillor Hutchinson on his specific request for assistance with funding to restore Buckley Public Baths.

Councillor Chris Bithell expressed a number of concerns around the funding available for capital investment and asked if the funding would remain available for some time to allow assessments to be fully made for applications for the future.

The recommendations were moved by Councillor Paul Shotton and seconded by Councillor Joe Johnson.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the progress in delivering the priorities for town centre regeneration as agreed at the March 2020 Cabinet meeting be noted;

(b)       That the resource implications of delivering the programme and consideration for their inclusion in the development of the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Capital Programme be noted; and

(c)       That the Committee supports giving delegated authority to the Chief Officer (Planning, Environment and Economy) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic Development to bid for external funding as it becomes available to support the approaches to town centre regeneration set out in this report.