Agenda item

(Asset Management & Economic Development Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-055-2015/16).

(1)        That a growth bid for District Development Funding in the sum of £35,000 for 2016/17 be approved to continue the work of the Town & Village Centres Opportunities Fund;

(2)        That the fund be opened to all appropriately constituted organisations and bodies throughout Epping Forest District as well as Economic Development Officers from Epping Forest District Council, who would be allowed to bid for projects independently but also as partners in joint projects with other appropriate organisations; and

(3)        That, prior to the launch of the 2016/17 Fund, a formal policy document be drafted to set out the nature and requirements of the Fund, detailing the criteria for both the eligibility of properly constituted groups and the eligibility of applications.

The Portfolio Holder for Asset Management & Economic Development presented a report concerning the Town and Village Centres Opportunities Fund.

The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that the Council had agreed to fund a £35,000 Town Centres Fund in 2013/14, which had enabled a set of Partners to undertake projects to support the local main High Streets. This fund was again made available during the 2014/15 financial year to enable Town Centre Partnerships to make further project bids and again in 2015/16, although at this point it was also agreed to widen out the eligibility of the fund to enable smaller centres in the District to bid for funding. In addition, it would allow Council Economic Development Officers to propose projects. It was proposed to continue the good work generated by this fund by making a further amount of £35,000 available for partnerships to bid for in 2016/17.

The Portfolio Holder proposed that the fund be opened to any appropriatelyconstituted organisation within the District, such as village hall committees, local traders groups, local business groups, and local charitable organisations - subject to the need for any such bids to still address the key objectives of the scheme to enhance and promote the use of the District shopping centres. To support this extension of the scheme to encompass a wider range of properly constituted groups and organisations, it was proposed that a formal policy document be drafted setting out the full terms and conditions of the scheme and detailing the criteria for those groups that would be eligible to bid. This policy document would be submitted to the Cabinet for agreement before the start of the 2016/17 funding cycle.

Some concern was expressed about whether the smaller villages within the District would require assistance to bid for this funding, and whether an information pack should be made available to Parish Councils. The Portfolio Holder stated that both Roydon and North Weald Bassett had submitted bids for funding, with the Roydon bid being assisted by Economic Development Officers. The Portfolio Holder accepted that it was sometimes difficult to see how the Council was getting value from providing the funding, and explain how the funding was being spread across the District; however, the proposals before the Cabinet sought to spread the funding further across the District.

Decision:

(1)        That a growth bid for District Development Funding in the sum of £35,000 for 2016/17 be approved to continue the work of the Town & Village Centres Opportunities Fund;

(2)        That the fund be opened to all appropriately constituted organisations and bodies throughout Epping Forest District as well as Economic Development Officers from Epping Forest District Council, who would be allowed to bid for projects independently but also as partners in joint projects with other appropriate organisations; and

(3)        That, prior to the launch of the 2016/17 Fund, a formal policy document be drafted to set out the nature and requirements of the Fund, detailing the criteria for both the eligibility of properly constituted groups and the eligibility of applications.

Reason for Decision:

Making these funds available for the Town Centre Partnerships, smaller District centres and other appropriatelyconstituted organisations to bid for, encouraged them to think creatively about how they could sustainably promote their Town and Village centres and create initiatives that had a lasting impact on the shopping centre economy. By widening eligibility for participation in the scheme, these benefits could be spread to the wider economy and have an impact on the economies of smaller centres throughout the District. By encouraging District-wide initiatives the impact of this investment could be further increased to benefit other local economies elsewhere in the District.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not make the funds available.

To make the funds available in some other format or via a revised scheme.