Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Anne Marie Parkinson, LEP.

There were none.

See attached.

RESOLVED:- That the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 8 December 2021 be agreed.

Leah Millward and Scott Leadbetter from Steer Group gave a presentation regarding the formal signing off for the Business Case.

Steer updated the Group that in the original Leyland Town Investment Plan, the various investments outlined to regenerate Leyland were divided into 3 schemes which identified the development of business cases for each project.  However, since then it had been agreed that in order to maximize the strategic alignment, complementarity and value for money and to ensure proportionality in the production of the business cases, Project A & B would be combined. The two business cases being developed were therefore:

Project A: Town Centre Transformation (includes the Market Regeneration); and Project B: Business Advice, Skills and Enterprise Hub (BASE2).

Steer also updated on the business case composition and costs:-

Project A to consist of the Market Regeneration, Quin St, Balfour Court (previously Churchill Way), Church Place, Public Realm and Other Fees (i.e. site acquisitions etc.);

Project B to consist of BASE2, Market Square and Other fees (i.e. site acquisitions etc.)

The update was acknowledged by members of the Town Deal Board.

Rachel Salter, Service Lead (Development and Business) also informed the Board that she was engaging with Runshaw College as a service provider for BASE2.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Paul Foster stressed that this was significant investment and that the Council as the accountable body would be taking on the risk.  The matter would be formally considered by the Council on 23 February 2022.

Questions and key issues highlighted during the discussion were:-

Public Realm – a question was asked as to who will be responsible for ongoing maintenance. Councillor Foster indicated that the Council was looking to create a fund for this purpose. Rachel Salter also said that they were working with Lancashire County Council on specific materials.

Segregated cycleway – it was confirmed that the cycleway would be separate from the road at Chapel Brow.

Cycle investment – are the benefits presented in the Business Case realistic? Steer responded that this would be audited further down the line and would depend on the value of the uplift. It was stressed that the Business Case would be transparent and robust.

Katherine Fletcher MP queried as to the sequence of events leading up to submission. Rachel Salter explained that the next steps will be developing a funding profile aligned with the construction programme. The Business Case will be finalised at the end of this month and then go through an independent review.

Katherine Fletcher MP expressed concerns about the governance arrangements/decision-making process and lateness of the information provided given that the Board were being asked to sign off the Business Case at this stage. The Chair stressed that the Business Case presented for sign off was a refinement of what had previously been considered by the Board. He also sought to clarify that the accountable body for the Town Deal project was not the Town Deal Board, but the local authority i.e. South Ribble Borough Council and hence the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Rachel Salter, Service Lead (Development and Business) presented an update on Stakeholder Engagement including the proposed timetable in April and May following budget approval at Council.

RESOLVED:- That the update be noted.

Rachel Salter gave a progress update as to the following:-

•        Stage 3 Design

•        Technical Surveys 

•        Engagement with LCC Highways and SRBC Planning

•        Progression of Acquisitions and access agreements

•        Programming

RESOLVED:- That the report be noted.

None.

The date of the next meeting is Wednesday, 9 March 2022 at 8.00am.