Committee details

Purpose

The Smethwick Partnership Board will oversee the delivery of the Towns Fund Programme and Long Term Plan for Towns Programme.

The Smethwick Partnership Board comprises a wide range of key stakeholders from community, business, voluntary, public-sector and faith organisations and is chaired by Alan Taylor, Sandwell Business Ambassador and Business Representative of MI Glass, Smethwick.

Towns Fund Programme

The Board will review progress of the Towns Fund Programme and projects, assessing change requests and ensuring compliance with Heads of Terms.

Throughout project delivery, the Board will see through the town vision, take ownership of their proposed projects and provide a level of accountability.

Smethwick Long Term Plan Programme

The Board will support the development of a Long-Term Plan comprising a 10-year vision, which clearly identifies the longer-term priorities for the town, and a 3-year investment plan as an annex and identify a list of interventions that sit within the three investment themes set by Government.

Meetings are not open to the public and press.

Towns Fund Programme Background

To co-ordinate the three Towns Deals in Sandwell, an overarching Towns Fund Superboard (Town Deal Board) was established in July 2020 with three Town-level Local Boards established as working groups of the Superboard.

The model of the Superboard being supported by three Local Boards has been effective throughout Phase 1 – Development of Town Investment Plans (submitted to DLUHC October 2020) and Phase 2 – Development of Full Business Case (Submitted to DLUHC by March 2022), through robust due diligence and assurance processes.

On 18 May 2022, SMBC Cabinet approved the Governance Arrangements for the Towns Fund Programme Phase 3 – Delivery (109/22). As a result, the Sandwell Superboard structure has been replaced by the three Local Boards, who inherit Superboard responsibilities: -

·      West Bromwich Town Deal Board

·      Smethwick Town Deal Board

·      Rowley Regis Town Deal Board

To view historic Superboard meeting papers, please click here.