Issue - meetings

Members gave consideration to a report presented by the Director of Planning, Regeneration & Communities, which provided information on the recently announced Pride in Place programme, through which an area in Gainsborough, being referred to as Gainsborough West, had been allocated a funding package of £20 million over ten years. This funding allocation recognised the hyper local deprivation faced in this area.

It was explained that West Lindsey District Council would be the accountable body for the fund and there was a requirement to establish a neighbourhood board, whose responsibility it would be to create an investment plan and oversee how the funds were spent. The neighbourhood board must have an independent chair and would have representatives from across the community.

A key principle of this programme was engagement with the community within the area of focus. Full details of the programme, the governance requirements and the funding profiling, split, and payment dates were still to be provided. Since the announcement there had been government-provided webinars and the ‘prospectus’ was due to be published before Christmas.  The Council had been allocated a representative from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government delivery unit. It was expected that they would reach out in the next weeks and would visit Gainsborough to learn about the challenges and opportunities as the work developed.

In view of the details being limited, but recognising the desire to start shaping the work, Officers had developed an initial communications plan, with a view to early engagement with communities, partners and stakeholders. Members were asked to note the funding announcement and approve the communications plan.

Members were grateful for the information presented and recognised the awaited detail would be key to making a start on the programme of works. Members made reference to the work already undertaken within Gainsborough and welcomed the opportunity to extend that work. It was also noted that the additional funding for the specific area in Gainsborough could bring more investment to the area and be of benefit to the district by way of greater investment and funding opportunities for communities in other areas.

In response to a question as to how to engage the communities over the full ten year period of funding, it was explained that the neighbourhood board would be key, as would the involvement of the local schools, in order for children to grow up shaping the community through this opportunity. It was acknowledged that the release of further information was needed in order to engage and plan in more detail. 

Having been proposed, seconded, and voted upon, it was

            RESOLVED that

a)    the Pride in Place announcement, associated timescales, and governance be noted; and

b)    the initial communications plan be approved to support the development of the programme.