Decision details

Resolved:-

(1)          that approval be given to the geographical focus for Sandwell LUP as Wednesbury Town (Wednesbury North, Wednesbury South and Friar Park);

(2)          that the Director of Regeneration and Growth and S151 Officer in consultation with the Leader be authorised to review and formally accept the LUP offer/ grant conditions from DLUHC;

(3)          that approval be given to commence delivery of Levelling Up Partnership interventions, subject to S151 Officer authorisation and acceptance of grant conditions from DLUHC as set out in (2) above;

(4)          that approval be given for the Council to act as the Accountable Body for the Levelling Up Partnership Programme, adopt programme governance arrangements and establish a Wednesbury Levelling Up Partnership Board and associated Terms of Reference;

(5)          that the Director Law and Governance in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Growth and the Leader be authorised to make any changes to the Wednesbury Levelling up Partnership Board Terms of Reference to respond to any Government guidance or requirements;

(6)          that the Director of Regeneration and Growth in consultation with the Leader be authorised to invite expressions of interest and conduct any necessary selection processes to make appointments to the Wednesbury Levelling Up Partnership Board;

(7)          that subject to acceptance of grant conditions as set out in (2) above, that in relation to Levelling Up Partnership interventions, that the following capital expenditure be approved and added to the Capital Programme for 2023/24 and 2024/25:

a.    in relation to Friar Park Urban Village project, that capital expenditure of up to £11.5m be authorised to bring forward the Friar Park Urban Village Scheme, as per the recently approved Masterplan for this site and that officers are authorised to renegotiate the current Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with West Midlands Combined Authority to reflect the nature of this significant investment and to deal with related commercial matters that impact on the JVA now that the Council is the primary funder using LUP resources;

b.    in relation to Wednesbury Town Centre Improvement project, that capital expenditure of up to £4.45m be approved for site improvement, acquisition and public realm improvement works;

c.    in relation to the Wednesbury Community Safety project that capital expenditure of up to £0.4m be approved for CCTV scheme improvements, mobile cameras for flytipping and installation of low level bike inhibitors as deterrents to ASB and crime;

d.    in relation to the Greenspaces project that capital expenditure of up to £1.65m be approved for improvements to green spaces in Wednesbury;

e.    in relation to the Friar Park Millennium Centre extension, approval is requested for an appropriate scheme to be designed; planning consent to be obtained; procurement of a construction partner to deliver the scheme; capital expenditure of up to £2m be authorised for the scheme to be delivered; and all relevant agreements and actions be taken to ensure this project is delivered that enhances the community offer (this approval updates the previous Cabinet approval for this scheme of 15/03/2023);

(8)          that subject to acceptance of grant conditions as set out in (2) above, that approval be given to expend up to £100,000 revenue in relation to the Wednesbury Community Safety Project and up to £250,000 revenue in relation to Wednesbury Masterplanning and Levelling Up Partnership Programme Management and that the appropriate budget virements are actioned, funded from Levelling Up Grant;

(9)          that the Director of Regeneration and Growth, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and WMCA be authorised to approve public consultation in relation to Wednesbury Masterplanning for the purposes of Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations (2012);

(10)      that the Director of Regeneration and Growth, in consultation with the S151 Officer and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and WMCA, be authorised to approve:

a.    a decrease/ increase of grant funds to be drawn down by individual projects of up to £250,000 within the overall Levelling Up Partnership capital allocation;

b.    any decrease to mandatory indicators of outputs and outcomes of the Levelling Up Partnership projects;

c.    slippage of outcomes and/ or grant claim profile up to £1m requiring re-profiling across future financial years with no overall material change to project outcomes;

(11)      that the Director Regeneration and Growth, in consultation with Director of Law and Governance, be authorised to undertake all necessary steps/actions, to acquire relevant sites in Wednesbury and Friar Park in line with the Council’s land and property portfolio;

(12)      that the Director of Regeneration and Growth, the Director of Borough Economy and the Director of Law and Governance in agreement with the Section 151 Officer, be authorised to enter into any necessary legal agreements, submit any necessary planning applications/agreements, undertake all necessary procurement processes (including entering into contracts for the provision of goods and services and any direct contract awards), and undertake/exercise all other necessary action/powers necessary to deliver the Levelling Up Partnership interventions;

(13)      that subject to acceptance of grant conditions as set out in (2) above, that the capital allocation to the Council from the Levelling Up Partnership be managed within the Council’s overall capital programme to allow carry forward of other funding sources into 2024/25 for delivery of the Levelling Up Partnership Interventions;

(14)      that Cabinet approve the Wednesbury Town Centre Improvement project to be added to the Regeneration Project Pipeline;

(15)      that Cabinet receive a report on the performance of the Levelling Up Partnership Programme after 6 months;

(16)      that in connection with Resolution 1 – 15 above approval be given to make an exemption to the Council’s Financial Regulations in relation to the Levelling Up Partnership Proposals.