Town Deal Board terms of reference

1. Background

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will provide core public investment in Towns via a number of structural funding programmes, such as Towns Fund, Levelling Up Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Long-Term Plan Fund.

The focus of the Funding programmes is the delivery of long term sustainable economic and productivity growth through the following priorities.

Town Deal Priorities

• urban regeneration, planning and land use: ensuring towns are thriving places for people to live and work, including by: increasing density in town centres; strengthening local economic assets including local cultural assets; site acquisition, remediation, preparation, regeneration; and making full use of planning tools to bring strategic direction and change

• skills and enterprise infrastructure: driving private sector investment and ensuring towns have the space to support skills and small business development

• connectivity: developing local transport schemes that complement regional and national networks, as well as supporting the delivery of improved digital connectivity

Long-Term Plan Priorities

• safety and security: Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour is a priority for turning around local areas and ensuring business can thrive
• high Streets, heritage and regeneration: as with the Town Deal priority, ensuring towns are thriving places for people to live and work
• transport and connectivity: ensuring towns are more connected to increase footfall and viability to high streets and local shopping centres, and accessibility to local employment opportunities

2.Purpose

The Great Yarmouth Town Board will set out a clear vision and investment plans that reflect the priorities of local businesses and communities for structural funds including Town Deal and Long-Term Plan.

The Board will:

• develop and agree an evidence-based Town Investment Plan
• be responsible for developing the Long-Term Plan, working closely with local people
• develop a clear programme of interventions
• coordinate resources and influence stakeholders

The Board is not a legal entity, and its role is advisory. The Board's role is to work with Great Yarmouth Borough Council as the accountable body to produce a Town Investment Plan and Long-Term Plan for Great Yarmouth that will help the town access vital funding that will enable the Board to realise our ambitions for regeneration.

The Board acts as an advisory board ensuring views are taken fully into account. In decision
making the board will seek to achieve a consensus. Decisions involving, but not limited to, spend, fund or project/programme participation would ultimately require approval by the Council as the accountable body via its own governance and decision-making procedures.

3.The role of the Town Board

The Town Board will sign off each stage of the Town Investment Plan, Town Deal delivery and Long-Term Plan. The Board is responsible for:

• upholding the Seven Principles of Public Life (the Nolan Principles)
• developing and agreeing an evidence-based Town Investment Plan and Long-Term Plan
• establishing a clear programme of interventions
• embedding arrangements in local plans (where appropriate) and undertaking Environmental Impact Assessments and fulfilling duties on public authorities under the Equalities Act, in particular, and the public sector equality duty
• coordinating resources and engaging stakeholders
• ensuring communities' voices are involved in shaping design and decision making at each phase of development
• ensure a balance of views are heard and to create opportunities for fresh perspectives and challenge
• ensuring diversity in its engagement with local communities and businesses
• helping develop detailed business cases
• overseeing each step of agreeing a Town Deal and Long-Term Plan, and overseeing compliance with the Heads of Terms Agreement with government
• to receive reports from Officers and delivery partners on other programmes such as Future High Streets fund, Levelling-Up Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Prosperity Fund especially where there is joint or match funded projects noting that geographical boundaries for each fund may differ

The Town Board will be supported by the Town Centre Officer Group which is an advisory group to the Board.

The Town Centre Officer Group comprises of:

4. Membership

The board is made up of 25 members, comprising

5.Chairperson

The Town Deal Board will be chaired by Henry Cator. Vice-Chairperson will be Chris Sargisson.

6.Role of the Chairperson

• upholding the Seven Principles of Public Life (the Nolan Principles)
• leading the Board in achieving its objectives, maintaining an overview of activity, and championing and supporting partnership working
• ensuring that decisions are made by the Board in accordance with good governance principles
• signing the Head of Terms Agreement with government#
• to ensure Board member's compliance with the GYBC Constitution and all GYBC policies

7.Town Board Tenure

The Town Board will develop and oversee the Long-Term Plan including the 10-year vision. The current term of tenure will end with the completion of delivery of the Town Deal on 31st March 2026, upon which membership, and tenure of the membership, will be reviewed. Following this, membership, including the Chair and Vice-Chair, will be reviewed every three years.

Town Board members should ensure that, if they can no longer continue as a member, alternative representation from their organisation is in place for continuity.

8. Codes of Conduct

Through the Town Deal and Long-Term Plan, the Town Board will be responsible for oversight of a significant amount of public funding. As such, members of the Town Board should fulfil their role as public-private partnerships whilst ensuring robust stewardship of public resources.

Members of the Town Board and those supporting the activities of the Town Deal should adhere to the Seven Principles of Public Life (the Nolan Principles).

Members of the Town Board should also ensure compliance with the GYBC Constitution and all GYBC policies.

9.Conflicts of interest

Members of the board represent their industry or community interest and have the responsibility to act on behalf of their wider membership at all times in relation to the work of the Town Board. Members must declare any conflict of interest or pecuniary interest that would have an impact on the objectivity of the member.

Members must ensure they comply with the Great Yarmouth Borough Council Code of Conduct Policy.

10. Decision making Committee

The Board has no delegated powers to make decisions on behalf of member organisations, however where a collective view is required there will be a straight vote of 1 per member with a simple majority to carry a decision.

11.Quorum

Of the 33 members comprising the board, quorum will be set at 50% or 17 members.

12.Frequency of meetings and content

The Town Deal Board will meet on a quarterly basis, unless agreed otherwise by the Board.

Content of meetings will be recorded and managed within the Inward Investment Office.

13.Secretariat and resource

The Town Deal Board will be administered by the Project Manager or Project Support Officer.

Agendas will be distributed five working days ahead of each meeting. Agenda items should be submitted at least 10 working days ahead of each board meeting for inclusion on the next agenda or forward plan. The Chairman has final discretion over the timing and inclusion of agenda items to ensure strong meeting management.

Draft minutes will be available five working days after the board meeting but remain confidential until signed off by the Chairman.

The accountable body, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, will provide secretariat support to the meetings and the collation of papers and preparation of agendas, minutes and papers.

The terms of reference will be reviewed annually or as appropriate.