Minutes:
The Vice-Chair explained to the Board that at the first Clay Cross Town Board meeting on 24 January 2020, the Board had discussed an overarching ‘Vision’ for Clay Cross and the inclusion of this within the Investment Plan. A presentation given on 24 January 2020 summarised the Vision 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 Vice-Chair advised that with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in mind, this agenda item had been added to ensure the Board still thought the Vision was appropriate in the face of COVID-19.
Lee Rowley MP felt it was too early to fully estimate the impact of COVID-19 in terms of the overarching Vision, but added that the employment targets set out in the Investment Plan would need to be higher if COVID-19 had a significant impact on unemployment. The Vice-Chair informed the Board that no guidance on these impacts had yet been received from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, but North East Derbyshire District Council Cabinet Members were considering a request to officers to work on an action plan that would mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in the District in terms of mental health, well-being, services and the economy.
Andrew King believed the overarching Vision was still appropriate in the face of COVID-19, because its prioritisation of digitising Clay Cross and making it digitally connected would be even more important in a post-COVID1-19 world where more people might continue to work from home.
Councillor C Renwick believed the overarching Vision still stood, but suggested that to prepare for after the pandemic, some of the wording in the Investment Plan about connectivity hubs would need to be strengthened.
Councillor J Kenyon felt the overarching Vision was still appropriate, but added that COVID1-9 and working from home might lead to businesses in Clay Cross either struggling to continue or finding they do not need premises and can operate online, which would both need to be addressed in the Investment Plan. He added that the Investment Plan should also include provisions for more open space and play areas in Clay Cross, because another COVID-19 lockdown in the future might make residents seek open areas to socialise.
The Members of the Board voted unanimously to keep the overarching Vision the same in the face of COVID1-9, but also requested that officers address some of the additional points made in the discussion.
RESOLVED – That the overarching Vision for the Clay Cross Investment Plan be kept the same in the face of COVID1-9, but the Board requests that officers address some of the additional points made in the discussion, which were:
a) The employment targets set out in the Investment Plan would need to be higher if COVID-19 had a significant impact on unemployment.
b) To prepare for after the pandemic, some of the wording in the Investment Plan about connectivity hubs would need to be strengthened.
c) COVID1-9 and working from home might lead to businesses in Clay Cross either struggling to continue or finding they do not need premises and can operate online, which would both need to be addressed in the Investment Plan.
d) The Investment Plan should also include provisions for more open space and play areas in Clay Cross, because another COVID-19 lockdown in the future might make residents seek open areas to socialise.
(Strategic Director – People/ Acting Joint Head of Service – Economic Development Place Directorate/Governance Officer)