Town Deal Board meeting papers 11 April 2023

Town Deal Board Record 11 April 2023

Time: 3:30pm

Venue: (Hybrid) Microsoft Teams & Council Chamber, Town Hall

Membership:

Councillors C Smith, T Wainwright, Council Officers S Oxtoby (Chief Executive), I Robertson (Major Projects & Development Director), K Blakemore (Strategic Director), P Boyce (Strategic Director), K Sly (Finance Director), D Barker (Culture, Heritage & Design Manager), C Dyble (Head of Communications & Marketing), D Glason (Director of Planning and Growth), S Best (Head of Inward Investment), T Williams (Communications Manager), T Read (Project Manager), S Cosham (Project Coordinator, Minute Taker)

Henry Cator (Cator & Co) (Chairman), B Stone (Norfolk County Council), B Williamson (Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust), S Rhoden (Norfolk County Council), D Candon (Bradwell Parish Council), H Birchell (Norfolk County Council), H Hill (Brandon Lewis MP Office), H Sturzaker (Civic Society of Great Yarmouth), J Barnard (Greyfriars Project Management), J Mackintosh (Out There Arts), J Munson (New Anglia LEP), M Whitney (Ellandi), K Moore (Environment Agency), L Hogg (Voluntary Norfolk), L Bevan (Visit Great Yarmouth), N Fairbank (Norfolk Chamber of Commerce), S Gray (EEEGR), S Rimmer (East Coast College), C Richards (East Norfolk Sixth Form), J Jay (Jays UK Ltd), J Mathers (Homes England), J Nix (Department for Work & Pensions), L Bowater (UEA), M Whitney (Ellandi), P Wells (Senior Parliamentary Assistant), R Bush (EEEGR), S Coghlan (Homes England), T Staff (Barclays), B Hogston (NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board), Rachel Hunt (NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board), Inspector Gareth Evans (Norfolk Constabulary), P Mace (Norfolk County Council)

1. Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from T Wainwright, S Oxtoby, P Boyce, C Dyble, D Barker, T Williams, J Barnard, H Birchell, L Bowater, E Bray, S Coghlan, S Durrell, B Hogston, L Hogg, R Hunt, J Jay, P Mace, J Mackintosh, J Mather, J Nix, C Richards, C Sargisson, H Sturzaker, S Rimmer, P Wells.

2. Declaration of Interest

You have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter to be discussed if it relates to something on your Register of Interests form. You must declare the interest and leave the room while the matter is dealt with.

You have a Personal Interest in a matter to be discussed if it affects:

• your wellbeing or financial position
• that of your family or close friends
• that of a club or society in which you have a management role
• that of another public body of which you are a member to a greater extent than others in your ward.

You must declare a personal interest but can speak and vote on the matter.

Whenever you declare an interest, you must say why the interest arises, so that it can be included in the minutes.

None declared.

3. Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on the 31^st January 2023. 

The Minutes from the 31 January 2023 were AGREED as accurate and approved by the Chairman

No matters were raised from the previous minutes

Actions and Decisions from previous meeting updated as follows:

Project 8: PB liaising with DB on procurement and location plan and formation of Members working group: a report will be presented to ELT next week.

4. Project and Programme Update

To receive summary updates from Project Sponsors on the progress of project delivery and spend.

Project 1: O&M Campus: David Glason, Project Sponsor updated the Board that Vattenfall have confirmed moving into Great Yarmouth onto the campus. This will be a long-term commitment on the site.

Business Incubator:Overview update provided by David Glason, reached RIBA Stage 2, team are seeking to prepare planning consent documentation. Ground investigations and pre-planning engagement has been completed.

Project 2: North Quay: Overview update provided by David Glason; Lambert Smith Hampton have been on-boarded to the project to continue land assembly, CPO preparation and viability testing. Working with Sharpe Pritchard for legal support within market engagement. Met with key colleagues from Environment Agency to explore development options mitigating flood risk. Wider rail station improvement works have seen to appoint The Morton Partnership to commence surveys, including Vauxhall Bridge improvement works.

Project 3: GY University and Learning Centre: Overview update provided by Simon Best; proceeding on timeline and within budget. Further update will be raised under item 5.

Project 4: Restoration and Commercial Repurposing of Winter Gardens: Overview update provided by Iain Robertson; Programme and Cost Plan reviewed following RIBA Stage 2 design amendments. A number of Stage 3 detailed design options are underway. Pre-planning advice is underway to inform design options. A series of workshops are underway that will determine materials, landscaping, design, aesthetics and specifications. Procurement of an operating partner will commence after Development Stage submission, early Autumn.  

Project 5: Restoration and Repurposing Historic Buildings: Overview update provided by Tracey Read; Grant Funding Agreement has been signed with GYPT. 160 King Street complete with kitchen fit out works scheduled for completion in the next week. Northwest Tower scaffold on site, 20-week works programme progressing well, completion by end of April. St John's Church planning application being prepared for submission and GYPT have onboarded a Planning Consultant, project in development stage.

Project 6: Restoration and Adaptation of Icehouse: Overview update provided by Tracey Read, the Grant Funding Agreement has been finalised, awaiting signature from OTA and GYBC. Confirmed the building has been acquired and independent QS report to inform cost schedules has been received.

Project 8: Selective enhancement of Wayfinding and Connectivity: Overview update provided by T Read; project under development, procurement strategy is being drafted due for agreement by ELT by end of the month. Decision process for locations for sculptures is being mapped for approval as part of the ELT decision paper. The trail will follow footpaths from Town Centre to the seafront. S Oxtoby has requested a Member Working Group established.

Concern raised by C Smith the delays in forming the working group and how Gorleston is not being included within the trails plan despite Town Deal covering Gorleston area. This will be raised directly with S Oxtoby for further consideration.

Project 8: Wayfinding (Town Wall): Overview update provided by T Read; project scheme under development. Some works have been completed as part of Heritage Action Zone. The Conservation Plan is produced, setting out plan for ongoing maintenance and enhancements. Works plan and schedule also available.

Project 8: Trees for Cities:Tracey Read confirmed the project concluded and a closing report is expected from Greyfriars Project Management in due course to Town Centre Officer Working Group to sign off.

Project 10: Smart Digital and Enhanced Connectivity: Overview update provided by Karen Sly; confirmed workshop held with Norfolk County Council with options identified. Under review how those options align to original Town Deal Business Case to seek project start from ELT.

5. Town Deal Programme Financial Status Report & Project Prioritisation

Presentation given by Simon Best. Summarised projects with funding gaps requiring further financial support identified.

Schematics for old Palmers building reiterated to explain intended uses for each floor; including the modern library provision, and university education space. Units on Stonecutters Way proposed for the additional opportunity recently arisen, this would repurpose the old Palmers warehouses currently not included in the old Palmers building redevelopment.

Funding advice indicates submission of a project adjustment request; this would re-apportion funding from other interventions unable to either deliver or fully spend their allotted funding within the programme timeframe. There is no new money available; unable to cancel interventions entirely and cannot create new interventions not part of the original Town Deal Investment Plan.

The proposed Project Adjustment Request will require some business case amendments, to recalculate BCRs and reprofile intervention budgets and KPIs.  Proposing to review all approved 9 interventions to prioritise those with additional criteria and greatest economic and social impact.

Following discussion, the Board AGREED Project Adjustment Request to be drafted and submitted in line with proposals received.

6. High Street Taskforce

Commissioned by Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities with the purpose of providing expert advice, data, resources and training to place leaders delivering levelling up transformation schemes. There is no charge to access the taskforce.

Support specific to Great Yarmouth was presented by T Read for information. This provides specific advice, support and mentoring to the local authority. To assist the programming of support, locations to spotlight must be identified. It was recommended to nominate Great Yarmouth Town Centre due to its extensive redevelopment schemes - Market, Public Realm, Palmers and Densification projects.

Members of the Board are invited to get involved in visits and workshops. Any member of the Board interested, to contact T Read directly. These will commence mid-May.

7. Cultural Development Fund Round 3

The Cultural Development Fund round 3 bid was unsuccessful.

8. Any other business

None declared.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting was confirmed 12^th June at 2:30pm.

Meeting closed at 16:32hrs