Agenda item

Executive considered a detailed report which sought Members’ approval for the transfer of £20,000 from the Transformation Reserves budget to the Planning Policy Town Centre Regeneration budget to aid with the delivery of Phase 1 of the Shirebrook Market Place: REimagined project. The report also sought Executive’s consideration of the transfer of up to £20,000 to assist securing additional external funding for Phase 2 of the project.

Various regeneration schemes had been drawn up for Shirebrook and the District’s

other town centres in recent years but very few had been successful in securing external funding. From evaluation of these bids, one key obstacle to delivery of regeneration schemes had been the absence of worked up and ‘shovel ready’ proposals.

In September 2020, the Planning Policy and Housing Strategy team commenced work on the preparation of detailed proposals for Shirebrook town centre as a Local Plan town centre improvement project and this had led to the creation of the Shirebrook Market Place: REimaged proposals.

In June 2022, the Council commissioned Lathams Architects to provide technical design services to progress the design concept and inform the establishment of budgets to deliver the project on site. In addition, Latham’s detailed technical design services had enabled the Council to cost up proposed resurfacing work. This had in turn enabled the Council to use the detailed design work and the cost plan to support bids for external funding to bring about the delivery of the project. The first funding bid was to the Valencia Communities Fund and the second to the Arts Council’s Cultural Development Fund.

The funding bid to the Arts Council’s Cultural Development Fund was unsuccessful,

however, the funding bid to the Valencia Communities Fund’s Large Grants Scheme

was successful and the Council had been awarded a grant of up to the value of

£90,588.

A delivery plan had now been prepared for an area in Phase 1 and this was outlined in red on the diagram at paragraph 1.12 in the report.

This successful outcome had made it possible to have discussions with other agencies and organisation to try to bring together a wider and combined package of investment in Shirebrook town centre. For example, following discussions with DCC, they would now seek to bring forward their proposals for a bus ‘mobility hub’ on Market Street at a time to dovetail with the Council’s own work for the Phase 1 area. This would see improvements to bus shelters and the installation of real time bus information and greater display of information for bus users. It would also see some physical work around the bus shelters. Further, from discussions with the Bolsover Countryside Partnership Manager regarding the planned redirection of the Archaeological Way multi-user trail through Shirebrook town centre, it has been possible to integrate their funded proposals within the Market Place: REimagined project design. This was expected to see the multi-user trail run along Victoria Street and highway works to create the appropriate cycle lane infrastructure, as well as appropriate signage and marketing to attract visitors to the Market Place.

Consideration was also being given to submitting an expression of interest for funding from the Arts Council’s Capital Investment Programme (Round 2), which seeks to support cultural organisations to adjust buildings, equipment, and other assets so they can operate safely post-pandemic and improve access, seize on technological opportunities, and reduce environmental impact. Whilst not an exact fit for the Shirebrook Market Place: REimagined project, given the project’s vision included the proposal to establish wider event usage of the Market Place, such as music events, outdoor theatre / cinema, throughout the year, it may be a potential source of funding that it was worth exploring.

Members welcomed the report and noted that much consultation had taken place,

particular with the Town Council.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor John Ritchie

RESOLVED that (1) £20,000 be transferred from the Transformation Reserves budget to the Planning Policy Town Centre Regeneration budget to aid with the delivery of Phase 1 of the Shirebrook Market Place: REimagined project and;

(2) up to £20,000 be transferred to the Planning Policy Town Centre

Regeneration budget to assist securing additional external funding for Phase 2 of

the project.

(Section 151 Officer/Interim Head of Planning Policy)

Reasons for Recommendation

The Council’s success in securing funding from the Valencia Communities Fund was a benefit for Bolsover District and particularly for its efforts to bring about improvement to Shirebrook town centre and its Market Place and demonstrated that the approach to invest in developing detailed and costed schemes to inform funding bids worked and increased the chances of success.

To take this forward, the agreement of the Executive was sought to transfer a further

£20,000 from the Transformation Reserves budget to the Planning Policy Town Centre Regeneration budget to aid with the delivery of Phase 1 of the Shirebrook Market Place: REimagined project.

In addition, the transfer of a further £10,000 to £20,000 funding to the Planning Policy

Town Centre Regeneration budget should be considered given it would increase the chances of the Council in its efforts to enhance Shirebrook town centre.

Alternative Options and Reasons for Rejection

The option of not providing the £20,000 to aid with the delivery of Phase 1 of the Shirebrook Market Place: REimagined project would result in the Council losing the offer of funding from the Valencia Communities Fund. This would prevent the delivery of the Memorial Gardens and may hinder further bid opportunities with them as a

funder. As a result, this option had been rejected.

The option of not providing a further £10,000 to £20,000 to support further funding bid work around to deliver the listed physical works, complementary activities to draw people to the Market Place and town centre management proposals would limit the work and priority the Planning Policy and Housing Strategy team could dedicate to this work area.

Councillor Steve Fritchley returned to the meeting.

Having previously declared his interest in the following item of business, Councillor John Ritchie left the meeting.