Agenda item

(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 the asset and it was therefore important to note the achievement.

·       The Portfolio Holder and Officers were commended on their work.

The recommendations were moved by Councillor Sarah Sharpe and seconded by Councillor Sandeep Ghosh.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the amended scope of the Boston Leisure Project, to incorporate a Community Volunteering & Wellbeing Hub in accordance with the LUP funding business case, be approved;

2.     That the formal acceptance of the LUP funding from MHCLG, with the Council’s Capital Programme being updated accordingly to enable project funds to be allocated, be recommended to Full Council;

3.     That authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive (Communities) in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive (Finance), the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Portfolio Holder for Culture & Leisure, to agree the final contract sums for phases 1 and 2 of the Boston Leisure Project and for the Deputy Chief Executive (Communities) to award the Phase 1 and 2 contracts provided they are within the revised project budget; and

4.     That authority be delegated to the Director of Economic Development in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, to enter into Grant Funding Agreements with external partners for the LUP funded projects.