To receive a report from the Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery.

The Chairman welcomed Adrian Sibley, Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) to the Meeting to present Members with a Towns Fund Projects Update.  A copy of the presentation is attached at Appendix A to the Minutes.

 

Members were advised that in 2022, the Council was awarded £50m for Town’s Fund Projects and that today’s update was focused on six projects that were being internally managed by the Council.

 

Sutton on Sea Colonnade

 

The Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) advised Members that the Sutton on Sea Colonnade building was nearing completion and that the play area was due to be ready at the same time as the opening of the paddling pools. 

 

Members were further advised of the issues which had been experienced with securing an operator for the building and that discussions with a potential operator were now in the advanced stages.

 

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

 

·         In reference to Recommendation No. 4 from the Recommendation Tracker, the Chairman queried whether an update was available for exploring opportunities with universities and museum services to develop exhibition space within the building, page 99 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) explained to Members that an update on the programme of activity would be provided with the next Towns Fund Project Update that was presented to the Committee.

 

·         In reference to Recommendation No. 5 from the Recommendation Tracker, the Chairman highlighted that an update had not been received in relation to landscaping, page 101 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) confirmed that a landscaping scheme at the Sutton on Sea Colonnade was being deployed all around the building.

 

·         A Member spoke in support of the update on the Sutton on Sea Colonnade and requested that more information be made publicly available.

 

·         A Member further requested that efforts were made to ensure that local community groups were kept informed to ensure the success of the project.

 

In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) confirmed that Members’ comments would be taken forward.

 

·         A Member highlighted the importance of encouraging people to eat healthily in an area of deprivation.

 

·         A Member further queried whether a healthier food operator could be secured as part of the project.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) explained to Members that securing a healthy food operator would be challenging when difficulty had already been experienced securing any operator. 

 

·         Members further discussed the benefits of eating healthy food and considered that the Council could not dictate what people ate.

 

·         A Member stressed the importance of using local employees and requested further clarification on the circumstances that had led to operators being apprehensive of employing local people.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) assured Members of the features and activities being put in place at Sutton on Sea, including a new children’s play area, upgraded paddling pool, a cycle store for bike hire and dedicated areas of the building for community engagement. 

 

·         Members were further advised that operators had advised the Council that they were concerned to bid for providing services due to perceived issues  with securing local staff.

 

·         A Member expressed further disappointment that operators had not been keen to create and deliver secure jobs for local people.   

 

Mablethorpe Leisure and Learning Hub

 

Members were advised that the leisure facility was the first public swimming pool for 20/30 years in East Lindsey district and that attendance and that membership figures had been very successful.

 

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

 

·         Members spoke in support of the great facilities and activities on offer at the Mablethorpe Leisure and Learning Hub.

 

·         A Member commented on the benefits generated by the Leisure and Learning Hub and explained that the MagnaTAG operation had not been hugely successful.

 

·         A Member requested further clarification what MagnaTAG involved.  In response, a Member advised the Committee that MagnaTag was a physical activity that aimed to encourage physical exercise combined with digital interaction on screens.

 

Councillor Graham Marsh as Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture, and Carbon Reduction commented on the great benefit of keeping leisure facilities up to date and provided Members with further information on what MagnaTag set out to achieve through engaging with young people. 

 

The Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) further assured Members that the funding received for these facilities also provided a positive impact on the wider area by increasing visibility and bringing more people into businesses.

 

Campus for Future Living

 

Members were advised on the key points in relation to the Campus for Future Living and that a formal opening was scheduled to take place on 12th June 2025 and that a number of organisations had already commenced operating from the site.

 

·         A Member expressed concern that the majority of people employed at the Campus for Future Living had been sourced from outside of the area and stressed the importance of employing people that were local.   In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) advised Members that concerns about recruitment would be brought to the attention of the sponsor of the project.

 

·         The Chairman queried whether an issue had occurred with the candidate’s CV’s or application forms which had led to the lack of local candidates being considered for the positions.  In response, a Member explained that she was unaware of the reasons that local candidates had not been given the opportunity to move forward.

 

·         A Member queried the number of organisations that had been displaced as a result of the Campus for Future Living opening.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) confirmed to Members that information on the groups that used the facilities would be included in the next update reported to the Committee.

 

Roxanne Warrick, Service Manager (Healthy Living) advised Members that an update following the next Meeting of the Campus for Future Living’s steering group would also be circulated to the Committee by email. 

 

Mobi-Hub

 

Members were advised that the intended relocation of the site with Grayscroft was not going ahead and that conversations were underway in relation to moving to an existing site.

 

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

 

·         A Member queried the name of the new location being proposed for the Mobi-Hub.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) advised Members that the location was on Enterprise Way in Mablethorpe.

 

·         A Member queried the point at which the project would become unviable and when the Council should not proceed with investing more time and effort.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) assured Members that the Council was estimating that a further three-months further negotiation was expected.

 

·         A Member felt that the project had good aims and expressed disappointment with the lack of progress with the project.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) advised Members that the Full Council had agreed to determine the status of the land and that the findings had revealed that the land was not significantly contaminated.  Members were further advised that the expenditure to date had been used to determine the status of the land and not on the project itself.

 

Cultural Skegness/Embassy Theatre

 

Members were advised that the external phase of the project was underway alongside work to upgrade the auditorium and that various phases of the scheme subject to Arts Council Funding was ongoing.

 

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

 

·         In reference to the external covering on the new building that had been constructed at the back of the Embassy Theatre, a Member queried the type of covering that was being used and highlighted that cladding was a low-cost option which degraded quickly and required high maintenance.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) confirmed that clarification would be requested on the external building materials being used on the development.

 

·         In reference to landscaping schemes, Members commented that trees did not grow well in coastal environments and discussed the importance of using suitable species to ensure that the architect’s impression was achievable.

 

·         Members further commented that the landscaping surrounding the Horncastle Hub did not promote the building well enough.

 

Skegness Foreshore

 

Members were advised that the Skegness Foreshore project was split into four plots with the Starbucks Coffee shop being fully operational and the hotel portion of the site approaching completion.

 

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

 

·         A Member queried whether the Embassy Theatre was working actively with the hotels to enable potential success of future conference centre facilities.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) advised Members that the points raised would be addressed with the operator.  

 

No further comments or questions were received.

 

The Chairman thanked Adrian Sibley, Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) for the report.

 

N.B Adrian Sibley, Deputy Chief Executive (Programme Delivery) left the Meeting at 11.14am.