Issue - meetings

(A report by Pranali Parikh, Director of Economic Development)

Councillor Sandeep Ghosh, Portfolio Holder – Finance, presented a report by the Director of Economic Growth which sought the acceptance of Levelling Up Partnership (LUP) funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to enable the delivery of eight projects.

MHCLG was providing £16,985,760 capital funding and £240,000 revenue funding to the Council. The objectives of the funding were to improve community cohesion, support the Boston400 visitor economy and improve skills and address health barriers to employment. MHCLG had identified eight projects to be delivered by the Council, three directly and five projects in partnership with external project leads.

The delivery of the project would be done through a range of partners, including Boston College, Destination Lincolnshire, Boston United Football and Sports Complex and Lincolnshire Community Voluntary Services. The funding would deliver a range of benefits for the town, including affordable homes and improved tourism, offer an enhanced access to leisure, health and well-being.

Members noted that the Cabinet would have oversight of the delivery of the projects with internal governance and monitoring arrangements in place.

Members discussed the report and the following comments were made:

·         Members were encouraged to find that Boston400 had been considered within the report, due to its forthcoming anniversary, and noted the following details in that democracy was the big contribution that Boston (UK) had made to America and the world in general. Democracy had been cemented into place in the 1630s in Boston, Massachusetts, by the 12 men and women who came from the local area. They were named on the stones either side of the path on the south side of St Botolph's Church. Knowing the importance of democracy would help people to engage with the plans for Boston400.

·         A suggestion was made to adopt democracy as a theme for the Boston400 celebrations and to establish a working party of members from all three partnership Councils to increase understanding of the plans for Boston400.

·         The Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre facilities were referred to as needing improvement and maintenance. It was confirmed that funding from the LUP would be used for it.

·         There was consensus from Members to support the recommendations within the report. However, concerns were raised as to whether the funding was sufficient.

·         Members noted that the Portfolio Holder – Culture, Councillor Sarah Sharpe, was supportive and passionate regarding the Boston400 project and would be confirming plans in due course.

The recommendation was moved by Councillor Sandeep Ghosh and seconded by Councillor Anne Dorrian.

RESOLVED:

That the Levelling Up Partnership funding from MHCLG be formally accepted, with the Council’s Capital Programme and Revenue budget being updated accordingly to enable project funds to be allocated and projects to be delivered as set out in the table within section 2.7 of the report.

(A report by John Leach, Deputy Chief Executive (Communities))

Councillor Sarah Sharpe presented a report which recommend the acceptance of Levelling Up Partnership (LUP) funding from MHCLG towards a number of local projects, including the Boston Leisure Project, and sought agreement to make the associated revisions to the Boston Leisure Project to enable the much-needed centre investment to be undertaken.

Councillor Sharpe reported that the Council had been successful in securing £7 million Levelling Up Partnership funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government towards the Boston Leisure Project, alongside a further £10m towards a suite of other projects that had been developed with the Government in order to provide bespoke place-based regeneration for the area.

Members noted that the Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service (LCVS) business case, with associated outcomes, was attached to the report within Appendix 1. The Community Volunteering and Wellbeing Hub’s concept proposals were attached to the report within Appendices 2a and 2b. Details of the agreed eight LUP projects were attached to the report within Appendix 3.

Members discussed the report and commented as follows:

·       The Council was working to provide community volunteering opportunities and improve health and well-being outcomes for the community. That element of the project would be designed to ensure it was achievable within the overall funding package.

·       Options were still being considered in respect of how the Community volunteer and well-being hub element would be provided.

·       It was expected that in November the Council would be in a position to finalise the initial phase 1 concept and then move forwards towards a contract to be able to commence works on the site.

·       In Appendix 3 the heading reference to ‘Boston Community Diagnostic Centre, Rosegarth Square, PE21’ was incorrect and should instead read as ‘Rosegarth Square, PE21’. Additionally, the wording below the heading also needed replacing with ‘To fund and facilitate the regeneration of the former B&M site in Rosegarth Square, including activities for its future development’.

·       The lifespan of the building was expected to be 30-40 years, which would be expected from any building of that type, with good asset management and planned preventative maintenance programmes in place.  Some of the building would continue to be the old building alongside the new extension.

·       It was planned that the extension would be used for the community volunteering element.

·       The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was that the Council would enter with the government to receive the money which would be added to the Council's budgets and the capital programme. In addition, a separate grant agreement would be entered into with all recipient organisations, such as Boston College, Chestnut homes, etc.

·       The grant agreements would be used to cascade risks as well as responsibilities. The organisations responsible for their projects would be expected to provide regular updates to the Council, including updates regarding risks.

·       Key leisure venues like the Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre were absolutely vital for supporting the health and well-being of residents. It was a rare occasion for any authority to be able to invest such monies into  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41