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Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: The Council Chamber, Town Hall, Corney Place, Penrith, CA11 7QF

Contact: Member Services  01768 817817

Items
No. Item

FSc/26/01/23

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from:

 

Councillor Burgin

Councillor McCall

Councillor Wicks

FSc/27/01/23

Minutes pdf icon PDF 231 KB

To sign the minutes FSc/19/11/22 to FSc/25/11/22 of the meeting of this Committee held on the 16th November 2022 as a correct record of those proceedings (copies previously circulated).

Minutes:

Proposed by Councillor P Baker

Seconded by Councillor P Dew

 

and RESOLVED that the minutes FSc/19/11/22 to FSc/25/11/22 of the meeting of this committee held on the 16th November 2022 be confirmed and signed as a correct record of those proceedings.

FSc/28/01/23

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of the existence and nature of any private interests, both disclosable pecuniary and any other registrable interests, in any matter to be considered or being considered.

Minutes:

A Member of a Community Trust noted that they would not participate in any discussion related to projects connected to the said trust.

 

FSc/29/01/23

Inspiring Eden Project pdf icon PDF 3 MB

To consider report no. DCE01/23 of the Assistant Director Development, which the Finance Scrutiny Committee has requested to scrutinise Inspiring Eden, the council’s plan for economic recovery, prosperity, and levelling up.

 

RECOMMENDED:

 

It is recommended that the Committee review the Inspiring Eden Update Report provided to Cabinet for their meeting on the 15th November 2022, and raise any questions they have for consideration and response.

Minutes:

Members considered the report no. DCE01/23 of the Assistant Director Development, which the Finance Scrutiny Committee had requested to scrutinise Inspiring Eden, the council’s plan for economic recovery, prosperity, and levelling up.

 

The Assistant Director Development, Fergus McMorrow, provided an update to Members and highlighted the following key milestones:

 

                  The investment plan for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) has been completed, submitted and accepted.

 

                  Opportunity has been taken to submit an investment plan for UKSPF Rural Top Up to secure approximately £1m of funding for spending in the next financial year.  Awaiting outcome.

 

         In response to an invitation from government, the Council submitted an expression of interest for the establishment of an investment zone.  The Council worked with Cumbria County Council and gained support from Westmorland and Furness Shadow Authority on proposals for an area near J41 of the M6. The investment zone initiative has not been taken forward by government.

 

                  The Assistant Director Development clarified that this does not affect the levelling up bid for the Council’s own proposals for an Enterprise Hub which has been submitted on that area.  That is still a live bid.

 

         Project documents are being developed for the Borderlands Place Project for Penrith which have a notional allocation of £3m.  The Council is leading on the Town Hall, Castle Park and Penrith Station projects.

 

                  Project development is continuing.  Approximately 130 expressions of interest are in the project pipeline.

 

 

Members asked the following questions of the Assistant Director Delivery:

 

1.     Can Members have a copy of the slides presented?

Response: Yes.

 

2.     Of the £3m for Penrith that is currently under review, is any of that attributed to the Penrith Neighbourhood Plan?

Response: No, those projects do not specifically relate to that bid.  The Neighbourhood Plan is a planning tool and it is the Penrith Plan that backs up the proposals for the Penrith Place Fund.

 

3.     The slides presented show a committed spend of £20,000 subject to contract for Eden Community Tree Nursery.  Could you elaborate on whether that is a Trust or a Charity?

Response: I believe it is a Trust.  The concept relates to a need to plant trees for a variety of different reasons in the district and the need for training, for example in managing nurseries.  It is a green initiative linked to future sustainability.

 

4.     We have been shown a list of projects totalling approx. £768,000 with a total budget of £780,000.  The possibility of applying for additional funds is set out within the report, can you explain that please and why that is necessary.

Response: That relates to the Council’s own budgets. We don’t now think that opportunity is there.  There is potential for additional funds through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which is part of the same programme and could part fund some of the projects.  The Rural Top Up Fund is also potential additional funding.  The general principle is to use the funding already in  ...  view the full minutes text for item FSc/29/01/23

FSc/30/01/23

Any Other Items Which the Chair Decides are urgent

Minutes:

There were no urgent items of business.

FSc/31/01/23

Date of Next Scheduled Meeting

The date of the next scheduled meeting of this Committee will be confirmed.

Minutes:

The date of the next meeting of the committee is to be confirmed.