Agenda item

Councillor Neil Murray, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth:

a)    presented a report to Performance Scrutiny Committee covering the areas:

·         Responding to Covid

·         Mandatory grants

·         Discretionary grants

·         Discretionary funding

·         The economic effect on Lincoln people

·         Lincoln’s cultural heritage

·         Heritage and regeneration activity

·         The Guildhall

·         Park Ward (Sincil Bank Area)

·         After Covid – economic recovery strategy

b)    invited members’ comments and questions

Question: Members asked whether there was an update on the Usher Art Gallery and what would happen to the artifacts as a contract was agreed with Nottingham City Council to store them, but we didn’t want them to move to Nottingham?

Response: The contract was put in place as a contingency if the artifacts couldn’t remain in Lincoln. Over the last few years, the Usher Art Gallery had been neglected without investment in favour of The Collection. The gallery was given to the people of Lincoln as an Art Gallery and needed to remain as one. Discussions took place last week with Lincolnshire County Council which were promising.

Question: The £19m that had been offered to the City for the Towns Fund was very positive news. Members asked when the projects that were part of this would start?

Response: Clarification was only received today. The City of Lincoln Council had until the 24^th March to accept the proposal of £19m. A Town Deal Board meeting had been set up for tomorrow to discuss this. Then we had until the 24^th May to let Government know which schemes would be taken forward. These schemes needed a full business plan and set of criteria that needed to be met and approved before the money was released. These agreed projects would be delivered by the end of March 2024.

Question: Members asked for an update on the Car Parking Strategy.

Response: Car parking income was a huge part of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. Officers needed to work on the basis that some businesses may continue to work from home which affected the take up of spaces used in car parks and base the strategy around this. It was envisaged that the Car Parking Strategy would have an early offer for customers once restrictions were lifted and the strategy would be kept under review.

Question: Members asked when we would know if there was any Discretionary Grant Scheme money left over that would be used to help businesses?

Response: The scheme ran till the end of March 2022. So far £440k of the money had been allocated to businesses. Some money was being kept back to help businesses that had been missed out.

Question: Members asked if the Heritage and Regeneration Activity would help with refurbishment within the City and whether businesses were going to be made aware that there was help for them?

Response: This activity was already up and running and had a Project Manager in place. Businesses had been contacted to explain what could be offered to them. Historic buildings within the City were being looked at as part of this activity.

Question: It was thought that the Drill Hall would be taken over by another company and members asked whether this was part of the Town Deal?

Response: The Drill Hall was a successful bid that was part of the Towns Fund Deal and would hopefully come back into use as an arts venue.

Question: Members asked whether an update could be given on the WGC?

Response: Members were reminded that this was a live planning application and that the money that had been spent on this over the last 15 years was not unusual for a project of this scale.