Agenda item

Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item; no longer than 10 minutes for  presentation of the report and then up to 3 minutes for each question to be put and answered.

Councillor S. Baxter presented the report for her Portfolio, Economic Development and Regeneration. Council was advised that it was very pleasing that the service area of Economic Development and Regeneration had been brought back in house. This would help to consolidate this work in one place. Councillor Baxter took the opportunity to welcome the Assistant Director for Regeneration and Property Services and her team to the Council.

In presenting the report, Members were advised that work had begun at the Former Market Hall site in Bromsgrove Town Centre. Any key milestones would be monitored closely during the project to ensure that it was completed by March 2026 as planned. Areas that were currently being investigated were the management model for the pavilion and uses for the office sites. It was noted that discussions were still underway in respect of the £2.45 million in residue funding from the now dissolved Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP).

Levelling Up Funding needed to be spent by September 2025. However, it was reported that the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) had recognised that nationally, some projects that had been awarded Levelling Up funding were falling behind schedule and therefore some plans might have to be put in place to provide extensions to these projects, as necessary.

Members were informed that the Windsor Street site had now been fully demolished and remediation works were underway.

[At this point in the meeting there was a brief adjournment to the proceedings from 18:10 – 18:11].

Councillor Baxter explained that there would be huge opportunities at the Windsor Street site once the works were completed in March 2026 and it would be important to keep residents informed of the plans in respect of this site for the future.

It was hoped that Bromsgrove Town Centre would become a ‘destination’ site. Recent food events would help to develop this even further. Members were informed that the UK Shared Prosperity Funding allocated to organisations had been considered and outcomes reported to Members at a Cabinet Advisory Group meeting (CAG). The funding allocations were also available in the Portfolio Holder’s report.

Other areas of note during the presentation of the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Regeneration’s report were the Strategic Parking Review report due to be considered by Cabinet in February 2025. In addition, the Town Centres across the District would be considered in the revised Town Centres Strategy. Given the proposed changes to Local Government, it was noted that it was important for the Council to leave a lasting legacy within the District and in the best possible places moving forward.

The report was welcomed by Members and following the presentation some areas were queried in more detail. Members asked whether The Artrix was included in the strategic framework for the Town Centres Strategy. It was confirmed that this was not the case at present, however this might be something that was considered in the future. Members asked when the revised strategy would be completed and whether the outlying village centres would be included. Members were informed that it was hoped that this would be completed by the end of 2025 and that the outlying village and town centres would be included.

Members were keen to better understand the Centres Enhancement Grant, where this had been publicised and the types of businesses who had applied for the funding. It was reported that communications had been provided to all Town Centres in respect of this funding round, which had now closed. In terms of the businesses awarded funding, Councillor Baxter undertook to provide this information to Members following the meeting.

There were several queries in respect of the car parks, including Churchfields Car Park. Some Members expressed frustration in the length of time it had taken to develop the Strategic Parking Review and that there was an opportunity to learn lessons from this and ask consultants to complete the work in a timelier manner when developing these kinds of strategies in the future.

Members queried the communications in respect of the Windsor Street site and what was proposed for the site in order to provide residents with information. It was reported that there would be communications provided by the Council and the opportunity to possibly cover the fencing around the site and produce some information that could be placed on the fencing to inform local people of the plans. It was queried what the plans were in terms of working with businesses at this site. Again, it was confirmed that this area was currently being worked on and that it was hoped that businesses, and the Council would work in partnership to develop this site.

Concerns were raised as to the potential for slippage of the Levelling Up projects, particularly as the funding received was time limited. It was reported that due to the nature of the works at Windsor Street, there needed to be two stages of work undertaken. The first stage was remediation followed by the settlement stage. The second stage needed to take place a certain amount of time after the first stage to ensure that the remediation works had been deemed satisfactory. This had resulted in the completion date of March 2026. The Market Hall site was due to be completed in January 2026. However, it was anticipated that the Levelling Up funding would have all been spent by September 2025 as outlined in the funding criteria. However, there might be the possibility of an extension as highlighted earlier in the meeting.

Some Members expressed their hope that the revised Town Centres Strategy would look to include areas such as the Housing and Planning Strategies. This would aim to encourage a more joined up approach to strategic working across the Council. It was noted that the Council Plan, developed earlier in the municipal year, contained Council priorities that would support this.