Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor A Dale, Nick Holland (Minofern LTD) and Gill Callingham (Director of Growth & Economic Development at NEDDC).

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of the Clay Cross Town Board meeting held on 5 March 2021.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Clay Cross Town Board held on 5 March 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Report of Gill Callingham – Director of Growth and Economic Development

The Head of Economic Development, Regeneration and Housing Delivery provided an update to the Board on the Council’s progress on projects funded by the Accelerated Projects budget.

The Board heard that the District had been granted £500k in order to accelerate projects within the Town Investment Plan, and that this work had already began.

The site around the Bridge Street Depot had been cleared, which had created a 1.2k acre development platform.

Demolition of the former junior school had been deferred due to an ecological issue with bats, surveys were due to resume in May and the programme due to begin in August and be completed by October.

North East Derbyshire District Council’s and Derbyshire County Council’s respective Estates Departments had been working together on the valuation of the former Constabulary Building, upon completion of this, further progress on the purchase would be made.

The Board heard that the former snooker club on Broadleys had been identified as a potential project in the event that any of the funds went underspent. A valuation had already been carried out and a successful dialogue had been established with the current trustees of the club.

The Board enquired as to when progress would begin to be made on the former constabulary building and if any of the space at the Bridge Street Depot would be offered to the businesses that were being relocated from Clay Cross.

The Head of Economic Development, Regeneration and Housing Delivery informed the Board that it would take between 12 to 18 months for progress to be made on the former constabulary building while the business case was developed. During that time, the building would be leased to Derbyshire County Council.

The Board also heard that a variety of options were being considered in relation to the Bridge Street Depot but no decisions had been made at that time.

RESOLVED – That the Board members noted the positive progress made on all accelerated projects

Verbal Update

Jane Wells from the Chesterfield Arts Project provided the Board with a verbal update on the project.

Jane Wells introduced the team working on the Art Project:

-       Lucy Maycock, Delivering the Community Engagement Workshops

-       Simon Hollyworth, A Different Light Collective

-       Will Lindley, A Different Light Collective

-       Andrew Johnson Smith, A Different Light Collective

The Board heard that Lucy Maycock had worked with pupils from Sharley Park Community Primary School, Foundation Art and Design Students from Chesterfield College, and residents of the Old Vicarage Care Home. Lucy had worked with 70 people, delivered 19 workshops and 95 pieces of artwork had been created which would form the content for the digital projections. 20 Art packs had also been distributed from a local foodbank.

The Art Project should have been completed by the 31^st March 2021 but due to the national lockdown, the projections had been rescheduled to the 22-25 September 2021. The final event on the 25 September would feature a possible road closure which would allow for art workshops, street performers and a digital game alongside the projections.

In order to retain a high profile for the event over the summer, a public exhibition would be created and would tour local venues such as the library, North East Derbyshire District Council Office and Chesterfield College. This exhibition would feature a short film which was then viewed by the Board.

The Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth praised the work done on the art project.

Melanie Phythian echoed those remarks and informed the Board that the Towns Fund Delivery Partnership were running an ‘Our Town Story’ promotion which would showcase the impact being made on towns across the country. She suggested that the Board should consider showcasing the art project in this promotion.

Karl Apps - Head of Economic Development, Regeneration and Housing Delivery – Verbal Update

The Head of Economic Development, Regeneration and Housing Delivery updated the Board on the new Members.

The Board had lost part of its private sector representation due to the impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic, because of this, the Board was happy to welcome four new members.

The three new members who were present introduced themselves:

-        Marie Cooper                    Cooper Brown Enterprises

-        Anthony Walker                 Walker Hire

-        Philip Webb                       Investors in Community

Karl Apps – Head of Economic Development, Regeneration and Housing Delivery

The Head of Economic Development, Regeneration and Housing Delivery sought the Board’s approval to take the 10 projects forward to business case development. This would need to be submitted by 24 May 2021.

RESOLVED – The Clay Cross Town Board endorsed the ten projects identified in 1.2 of the report to be taken to full business case development.

The Head of Economic Development, Regeneration and Housing Delivery informed the Board that invites for the Working Groups would be sent out on the week commencing 3 May 2021. These groups would generate work that the Business Consultants would need and help to bring forward the stakeholders views.

The Board was encouraged to let the Head of Economic Development, Regeneration and Housing Delivery know if they wished to be included in any additional working groups to those which they were currently on.

Members of the Board enquired as to what involvement was expected from the private sector, what specific groups individual members should be involved with and if the private sector members could recommend people from their networks.

Members heard that working groups had been established for all 10 projects, which private sector members were free to join and represent the business sector, they would also ensure that communications were accurate and bring in a different perspective to the groups.

Membership of the working groups had been constructed based around identified skills relevant to each group. However, members were free to join any group which they felt they could bring value into. Members were also encouraged to recommend any additional individuals they felt would be valuable additions to the groups.

Details of the groups would be circulated following the meeting.

It was also agreed that a method of sharing enquiries would be set up.

The Chair to move:-

That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following item of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006). 

RESOLVED - That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following item of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).

Gill Callingham – Director of Growth and Economic Development – Verbal Update

The Board was updated on the tendering progress of the Business Case Development Consultants.