Agenda and minutes

Crewe Town Board - Friday, 6th September, 2024 9.30 am

Venue: Virtual Meeting via Microsoft Teams. View directions

Contact: Sam Jones  Tel: 01270 686643 Email: samuel.jones@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

26.

Apologies for Absence (1 Minute)

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Nick Mannion and Jasbir Dhesi.

27.

Declarations of Interest (1 Minute)

To receive any declarations of interest.

Minutes:

There were no new or updated Declarations of Interest, other than those already on file.

28.

Minutes of Previous meeting (3 Minutes) pdf icon PDF 205 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 02.08.2024.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 02.08.2024 be approved as a correct record.

29.

Appointment of Vice Chair (5 minutes)

To formally confirm the position of the Vice Chair.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  

 

That Simon Yates be re-appointed as Vice Chair of the Crewe Town Board.

30.

Flag Lane Baths (30 minutes)

To discuss the Flag Lane Baths project proposals.

Minutes:

The Board received an update on Flag Lane Baths project from Jez Goodman, Development and Regeneration Manager.

 

The Board was updated that the cost of delivering the Phase 1 project had increased significantly and that of the originally assigned £3.935 million, £590,000 had been spent, with approximately so £3.345 million could potentially be reallocated to other projects.

 

The Board were briefed on a number of possible options for the future of the Flag Lane Baths site:

 

·         Retention of the building “as is”,

·         Demolition of all of the Flag Lane Baths building,

·         Demolition of most of the Flag Lane Baths building but retaining the original façade / lobby,

·         Alternative community uses for the building or cleared / partially cleared site could be sought, and

·         Alternative public uses for the building or cleared / partially cleared site could be sought.

 

In order to facilitate these proposals, the Board would seek to secure £1.2 million – £1.5 million of the Towns Fund Grant to increase the allocation of Crewe Youth Zone. Cheshire East Council would then reallocate released funding from Crewe Youth Zone towards the capital use of delivering the future uses on Flag Lane Baths site.

 

The Board was updated that engagement with the Department for Education has shown significant interest in developing the site for an Alternative Provision School. With this option Cheshire East Council would be able to make revenue savings, meet the significant requirement for education services within Crewe, and this would have strong synergies with other ongoing projects, however the Board were updated that MHCLG may oppose the substitution of the Towns Fund Grant for Cheshire East Council funding, there is significant community and heritage value to the site, and any future use relies on a large number of independent decisions.

 

The Board discussed options for the reallocation of any released funds. The projects deemed most in need of any further available funding were:

 

·         YouthZone at Oak Street,

·         YouthZone at Mirion Street,

·         Mill Street Corridor,

·         History Centre Public Realm,

·         Pocket Parks, and

·         Cumberland Arena.

 

RESOLVED

 

The Board resolved to:

 

·         Formally withdraw Towns Fund and Town Board support for the Flag Lane Baths project and request that Cheshire East Council terminates its Grant Offer Letter with the Always Ahead charity, subject to the payment of any reasonable costs incurred by the charity that have been incurred since the previous payment.

·         Endorse proposals outlined for Cheshire East Council to enter in Heads of Terms with the Department for Education to progress with an option to utilise the site for an Alternative Provision School, relating to the future use of the Flag Lane Baths and, in support of that, agree to seek Cheshire East Council and MHCLG approval to reallocate of £1,353,000 Towns Fund grant to the Crewe YouthZone (Oak St) project, on the basis that this releases Cheshire East Council capital funding that can be used to support future uses at the Flag Lane Baths site, with every effort to be made to maintain building heritage.

·         Request on-going communications with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

31.

Towns Fund Performance Update (45 Minutes)

To receive an update on the Towns Fund projects.

Minutes:

The Board received an update on several of the Towns Fund Projects and Additional Programme Management updates from Jez Goodman, Development and Regeneration Manager, and individual project sponsors.

 

LY2 – Snagging work and final artwork had been completed.

 

Repurposing Highstreets – Two further video case studies had been made and would be shared in late September - early October. Vinyl artwork had been installed at the former Poundland site, and consultations on the design for shutter doors on Victoria Centre was underway. Iain Nicholson would be undertaking further work on pop-up uses / white boxing of some unites. The High Street Rental Auction Trailblazer Programme was being recommenced but there were significant challenges in progressing it.

 

*Town Centre Attractions – Main dismantling and demolition had now been completed and a steel frame and decking had now been erected.

 

*Crewe Youth Zone – Site to be handed to contractor 30 September 2024 with work to commence on 7 October 2024. Utilities companies were being engaging with the project work. A “Stand On The Land” event would take place on 11 September 2024, including the announcement of the brand, and approximately 80 guests had been invited. The branding and naming exercise had now been completed, which would be formally announced at the Stand On The Land event. Three new trustees for had been appointed.

 

Crewe Youth Club – Works commenced 19 August 2024 and a successful groundbreaking event took place 27 August 2024.

 

Cumberland Area – Contractor for the preconstruction services had been appointed with work expecting to start on the site in November 2024, subject to variation to EV points other minor issues.

 

*Valley Brook Corridor – Finalisation of the route details at Electric Street required modification and some value engineering.

 

*Pocket Parks – Public consultation on the next two Pocket Parks on Samuel Street and Lime Tree Avenue, including in-person events.

 

*Jubilee Project – Tree survey work was being undertaken to address Tree Protection Orders. Planning application expected to be submitted in autumn 2024. Public consultation undertaken with an in-person event.

 

Warm and Healthy Homes – Planning application was submitted would be October 2024. 40 of 65 properties had signed up with works expected to start in early October 2024.

 

Southern Gateway – Main works commenced on 10 June 2024 and will complete early 2025.

 

Mill Street Corridor – Detailed designs were being developed and efficiencies were being sought with the Southern Gateway and Nantwich Road Bridge projects. Key land acquisitions were progressing.

 

*Projects not funding through the Town’s Fund.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the updates be noted.

 

 

32.

Strategic Update from Cheshire East Council (15 Minutes)

To receive a Strategic Update from Peter Skates, Acting Executive Director of Place.

Minutes:

The Board received a Strategic Update from Charles Jarvis, Head of Economic Development, on:

 

·         Cheshire East Council’s Transformation Plan: The Transformation Plan was submitted to government on 27 August 2024 following approval by the Council’s Corporate Policy Committee on 21 August 2024.

 

·         TADIC: Work was underway and discussions with prospective tenants were taking place.

 

·         Devolution: The three local authorities – Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Warrington Borough Council were working together on devolution plans and had taken report to Cheshire East Council’s Corporate Policy Committee to seek permission to engage with government officials to explore opportunities.

 

·         HS2: Future rail projects were being discussed. 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the updates be noted.

 

Pete Turner left the meeting at 11:15

33.

Review of Crewe Town Board Terms of Reference (15 Minutes)

To review and make any amendments and approve the Crewe Town Board Terms of Reference.

 

Minutes:

The Board reviewed and suggested amendments to the Crewe Town Board Terms of Reference and Project Sponsors.

 

RESOLVED:

 

The Project Sponsors list would be circulated to Board Members to be updated.

34.

AOB (5 Minutes)

Minutes:

The Board was updated that the next six-monthly Performance Report was required to be submitted by 24 November 2024 and would require Board sign-off prior to this.

 

The Board were updated that work was ongoing within Marketing and a fuller update would be provided at the next meeting.

 

RESOLVED:

 

An additional meeting of the Crewe Town Board would be held on 15 November 2024 to facilitate the review and sign-off of the six-monthly Performance Report.

35.

Date of Next Virtual Meeting

To confirm the venue and date of the next meeting at 04.10.2024 commencing at 09:30am.

Minutes:

To confirm the venue and date of the next meeting at 04.10.2024 commencing at 09:30am.