Agenda and minutes

          The Leader of the Council Councillor Martin Thacker MBE JP welcomed everyone to the Town Board meeting and asked them to introduce themselves. He thanked those present for attending.

Presentation by the Leader and Chief Executive.

Please find attached a copy of the report that the Council’s Cabinet considered at its meeting on 5 December 2019, for information. (Pages 3 – 10)

The Leader explained how the Town Board had been convened by the Council to develop an Investment Plan for the Government’s Town Fund allocation to Clay Cross. He added that the Board’s discussions on the Investment Plan would aim to include areas like connectivity, digital technology, infrastructure, highways, regeneration, employment, skills, training, mental health and well-being.

          The Council’s Chief Executive Officer delivered a presentation which set out some of the proposals and challenges regarding the Investment Plan. The presentation began with an overarching ‘Vision’ for Clay Cross, which stated that it would aim “‘to [make Clay Cross] become a 21st century town, moving on from its industrial legacy whilst valuing and preserving its heritage. Clay Cross will become a centre for learning, research and climate change innovation, attractive to students, whilst also ensuring future skilled employment opportunities locally.”

          The Leader of the Council stated his belief that this was a chance to make Clay Cross unique and develop it to be a centre for learning, research, employment and innovation, with climate change featuring heavily within those areas. He added that this would also increase footfall in Clay Cross, which would attract businesses and demand more leisure provisions.

          The Council’s Chief Executive Officer continued with the presentation, which touched upon the following:

1)      Town Deal history and background – the Government produced a list of 101 towns in September 2019 to develop proposals for multi-million pound Town Deals, which included Clay Cross. The Government then released the Towns Fund Prospectus in November 2019, which guided local authorities on how to set Town Boards up.

2)      The Government’s Stage 1 and 2 for the Town Deals – Stage 1: providing capacity support to put structures and vision in place and develop an Investment Plan (the Government has given the Council £140,000 to carry this out). Stage 2: places to use locally owned Town Investment Plan for business case to apply for funding (making a deal).

3)      Government’s objectives for the Town Fund – urban regeneration, planning, land use, skills, enterprise infrastructure and connectivity.

4)      Role of Town Board – a) Develop and agree evidence-based Town Investment Plan. b) Set out a clear programme of interventions. c) Co-ordinate resources and influence stakeholders.

5)      Future timeline – the Investment Plan will aim to be completed and submitted by summer 2020.

6)      Clay Cross history and heritage – the Plan will be sensitive to the history of Clay Cross, such as its Victorian buildings and its mining heritage.

7)      Readiness questionnaire – this captured information about where each town stood on the key actions to develop and agree the Deal. The questionnaire contained 47 questions.

8)      Emerging ideas to include in the Investment Plan –

·                Links to Further and Higher Education partners

·                Clay Cross digital infrastructure plan

·                Active environment with links to Sharley Park Leisure Centre

·                Clean growth focused on low carbon commercial development

·                Review and redesign of town centre traffic management

·                Co-location of public services

·                Redevelopment of publicly owned sites to stimulate activity

9)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

The Chief Executive to update.

The Chief Executive Officer explained to Board Members what their roles and responsibilities were as per the North East Derbyshire District Council Code of Conduct for co-opted Members. He added that the Government required all Town Boards to adhere to the same Code of Conduct and Interest guidelines as that town’s local authority.

          Board Members were requested to fulfil the North East Derbyshire District Council Registering of Interests rules by filling in a Register of Interests form. The Chief Executive Officer explained that this form would be circulated to Board Members.

          RESOLVED – That the Clay Cross Town Board agreed to fill in the Register of Interests form that the Chief Executive Officer would circulate to them.

                                                                                                                  (Chief Executive Officer)

The Leader to update.

The Leader explained that a site visit to Clay Cross and a workshop event had provisionally been scheduled for the Board to carry out. The Board agreed that a site visit would give them a better understanding of the places being discussed, and a workshop would allow them to consider the sub-groups they could form for the different strands and themes.

          The Board agreed to schedule a Clay Cross site visit for 10.30 am Friday 28 February 2020 and a workshop at the Council for 1.00 pm Friday 28 February 2020. The site visit would begin at the Clay Cross Social Centre.

          RESOLVED – That the Clay Cross Town Board agreed to schedule a Clay Cross site visit for 10.30 am Friday 28 February 2020 and a workshop at the Council for 1.00 pm Friday 28 February 2020. The site visit would begin at the Clay Cross Social Centre.

                                                                                                               (Governance Officer)

Councillor Gerry Morley referred to Kenning Park in Clay Cross and felt that fishing there could link in with some of the Health discussions. He added that one of the ideas for the Investment Plan could be more cemetery land.