Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor David Dixon.

To note any urgent items of business which the Chairman has

consented to being considered under the provisions of Section 100(B)

4(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no urgent items of business.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable

Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the

Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a) any business on the agenda

b) any urgent additional items to be considered

c) any matters arising out of those items and if appropriate, withdraw

from the meeting at the relevant time.

There were no declarations of interest made.

To consider the Minutes of the last meeting held on 14^th June, 2022.

Moved by Councillor Derek Adams and seconded by Councillor Tom Kirkham.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of a Local Growth Scrutiny Committee held on 14 June be approved as a correct record.

Committee considered the List of Key Decisions and items to be considered in private document.

Moved by Councillor Jen Wilson and seconded by Councillor Derek Adams.

RESOLVED that the List of Key Decisions and items to be considered in private document be noted.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer reminded Members of the work so far and draft recommendations agreed to date.  The Business Growth Manager briefed Members on further conversations that had taken place with Procurement.  This allowed Members to finalise two of their outstanding recommendations.  It was agreed that the Scrutiny & Elections Officer would amend the review report accordingly based on the additional evidence gathered and then circulate prospective dates for an extraordinary meeting of the Committee to ensure limited delay in its ratification and submission to Executive.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

The Assistant Director of Development and Planning noted that it was timely to look at the previous Regeneration Frameworks given the length of time since their original publication, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and current programmes of work within the District.  He also noticed the service’s limited capacity for additional large-scale projects due to current work on the Levelling-Up Funding Bid.

It was suggested that a scorecard approach could be used taking each Framework in turn to assess them on actions completed; those in progress; those no longer viable; and new options for development.  The officer felt it was important to establish if the Frameworks reflected current priorities, and that it may be pertinent to focus on Bolsover and Shirebrook given the current work happening in those areas.

Councillor Tom Kirkham agreed with this approach in part but felt that all four Frameworks needed review due to the length of time since publication (2016).  He also felt that there were lots of cross-cutting issues that could be further highlighted.

The Assistant Director suggested that Bolsover may be the best area to start with given the current funding bids being worked on.  This could be done via a case study approach detailing recent/current activity and how this related to the previous Framework agreed.  Furthermore, it was important to try and assign estimate costs for some of the ideas given the rise in inflation and current financial situation.  This was highlighted as a weakness in the current Frameworks.  Members agreed with this approach.

Members noted that areas of discussion should incorporate town centre markets, travel within and to the centre, Shop Local, options for local incentive schemes e.g. Bolsover Spend a Fiver and school reward voucher schemes.

Moved by Councillor Derek Adams and seconded by Councillor Jen Wilson

RESOLVED that

(1)  The Frameworks would be reviewed in turn across the remaining meetings of the year in the following order: Bolsover, Shirebrook, Clowne, and South Normanton. 

(2)  That the item planned in relation to Shop Local and Town Centre Viability be integrated across the four Framework discussions, rather than as a separate item in December.

(3)  The Scrutiny & Elections Officer to amend the work programme accordingly.

(Assistant Director of Development & Planning/ Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

Committee considered their proposed work programme for 2022/23.  Members agreed to amend to accommodate the town centre discussions.

Moved by Councillor Jen Wilson and seconded by Councillor Derek Adams

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2022/23 be approved and noted.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)