Issue - meetings

To update Cabinet on progress towards the production of a Grantham Town Centre Action Plan.

Purpose of the report

To update Cabinet on progress towards the production of a Grantham Town Centre Action Plan.

Decision

That Cabinet:

1. Note the content of this report.

2. Approve the Grantham Town Centre Action Plan.

3. Agree to receive a further report on progress against the action plan in six months’ time.

Alternative options considered and rejected

An alternative option would be to “do nothing” and decide not to adopt an Action Plan, but this would fall short of the commitment forming part of the original Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) bid. Therefore, this option was discounted.

Further work was being undertaken to identify additional activities or actions for the longer-term Town Centre Action Plan and this work would be reported to Cabinet in six months’ time.

Reasons for the decision

Delivery of the Grantham Town Centre Action Plan would ensure a collaborative and coordinated approach to sustaining interest and activities in the town centre to grow Grantham and attract visitors. The development of the Action Plan provided a strategic framework to ensure activities were targeted to ensure that the economic, social and environmental benefits identified in the Future High Street Fund Business Case were delivered and further benefits were derived in the years to come.

Finance and Economic Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed this item on 16 January 2025 and discussed issues such as the collection of mobile phone data to capture footfall.

Recent events held in Grantham town centre in the lead up to, and over the Christmas period were reasons to be cheerful and it was important to keep making positive steps.

The Council was equally committed to Bourne, Market Deeping and Stamford; however, Grantham had been a focus due to the work on the FHSF.

To update and seek the views of the Finance and Economic Overview and Scrutiny Committee (FEOSC) Members on the progress made towards the production of a Grantham Town Centre Action Plan.

The Chairman informed the Committee of the following amendment to Section 2.11 of the report:

‘Across 2024 Grantham Market has shown significant growth and there are now more than 40 stalls let on a regular basis to traders at Grantham Market’.

The Leader of the Council presented the report which outlined the development of the Action Plan for Grantham Town Centre.

The Committee had previously debated the Action plan on the 26 November 2024, but, requested further opportunity to scrutinise the medium and long-term elements of the Action Plan, through an Extraordinary Meeting. The Committee did, however, endorse the short-term elements of the Action Plan. The aim of the plan was to provide a strategic framework to ensure activities are targeted.

The Head of Economic Development provided a presentation to the Committee, which included:

·       Engagement – encourage positivity within the town and the continuation of relationship building with local retailers, stakeholders etc.

·       Marketing – A marketing strategy had been developed that will include a website, external marketing via local and regional publications and social media promotion.

·       Markets – plans to implement the following:

-       Initiatives to encourage new traders.

-       Promotion and delivery of additional markets, including antique markets, makers market and youth markets.

·       Street theatre/performers.

·       Business support initiatives.

·       Events (April-December 2025), indicative events include:

-       Summer Festival

-       Luna Cinema

-       Mountain Bike Skills

-       Children’s show

-       French market/Brocante/Vide Grenier and French Jazz evening

-       Twilight market

-       Street theatre

·       Product Development – regeneration pipeline of projects, introduce public realm improvements and work with landlords to set up Pop-up shops in empty retail unit/s.

Councillor Matt Bailey submitted the following statement:

‘I firstly want to thank all the Officers involved in the evaluation of ideas submitted in Appendix 5 and I am delighted that some of those ideas have filtered into the Action Plan. I look forward to seeing these come to fruition and see continued growth and development in Grantham Marketplace. A strong collaboration between Officers, Ward Councillors, local businesses and member of the public will ensure that we responsibly deliver the best value for money when deploying the remaining resources of the Future High Street Fund.

Secondly I would like to thank the leader Cllr Baxter for suggesting and arranging a meeting between Officers, Cllr Ley and myself to discuss this in advance of this meeting.

Todays focus should be the Action Plan itself Appendix 2, I do believe in previous meetings we have been distracted by the accuracy of the data. I myself am still very sceptical of the data in its accuracy and further analysis I have seen and shared with Officers and other Councillors does show gaps which are difficult to explain. It is important that we both measure our success but can also identify any weakness or concerns. Footfall volumes sounded like a logical way to do this. However without foundations of accuracy, the data becomes meaningless and I fear is now just a distraction to this Committee.

As for the Action  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63