Agenda item

(A report by Maria Cotton, Service Director – Culture & Regeneration)

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Mike Gilbert, presented a report by the Service Director – Culture & Regeneration, which sought approval to accept the UK Government’s Memorandum of Understanding, attached to the report as Appendix A, to enable delivery of the ten?year Pride in Place Programme for Boston to commence from 2026/27. The report explained that Boston had been allocated up to £20m of funding and that the Council would act as the accountable body for the programme.

During discussion, Members sought reassurance regarding the scale of the funding over a ten?year period and the potential implications of future local government reorganisation. Members were advised that while the programme spanned ten years, the Memorandum of Understanding covered an initial four?year investment period, providing a degree of medium?term certainty. It was also confirmed that the funding was geographically defined and required to be spent within specific Boston town wards.

Attention was drawn to the report’s confirmation that the programme boundary had been determined and agreed with the UK Government and that the funding could not be used more widely across the Borough. Members noted that similar place?based restrictions had applied to previous regeneration schemes and that other funding opportunities for non?town areas would be explored separately.

Clarification was provided on governance, compliance and procurement arrangements. Members were advised that the programme would be delivered through the Council’s existing financial and assurance frameworks, with expenditure subject to the same processes as other revenue and capital spending. It was confirmed that the Boston Neighbourhood Board would recommend projects for funding, but that the Council would retain control of the funding as the accountable body and ensure appropriate due diligence and oversight.

Members also considered the longer?term funding arrangements set out within the Memorandum of Understanding and noted that the Government retained the ability to review or vary arrangements in later investment periods. While this created some long?term uncertainty, it was recognised as a standard feature of national funding programmes.

The recommendations were moved by Councillor Mike Gilbert and seconded by Councillor John Baxter.

Resolved:

1.     That the funding award for Boston be accepted and that authority be delegated to the Council’s Executive Director – Finance and Section 151 Officer to sign the Memorandum of Understanding for the Pride in Place Programme in Boston, as set out within Appendix A to the report;

2.     That authority be delegated to the Executive Director – Finance and Section 151 Officer to vary the Council’s Capital and Revenue base budgets, within the limits set out in Section 2 within the report, for projects delivered under the Pride in Place programme for Boston;

3.     That the Boston Neighbourhood Board be responsible for considering and recommending the allocation of funding to individual projects, with Cabinet be kept informed of the Board’s priorities, approved projects, funding allocations, expenditure profile, and the monitoring of risks and benefits on a regular basis;

4.     That authority be delegated to the Council’s Executive Director – Finance and Section 151 Officer to approve expenditure recommended by the Neighbourhood Board, following due diligence and in consultation with the Executive Director – Economic Development and the Deputy Leader of the Council; and

5.     That authority be delegated to the Council’s Executive Director – Economic Development to enter into all associated delivery contracts and grant funding agreements on behalf of the Council, in consultation with the Council’s Executive Director – Finance and Section 151 Officer and the Deputy Leader of the Council.