Agenda item

To consider the potential for using budgets, reserves and UK Shared Prosperity funding (UKSPF) in a variety of ways to support the project and businesses.

Note:  The meeting was extended to 5:30pm.

Members considered potential support measures for local businesses that may be adversely affected by the redevelopment of the Market Place in Grantham through the Future High Street Fund.

The Leader of the Council introduced the item, highlighting that the issue had been raised by Councillor Matt Bailey. The suggestion had been for a £50,000 hardship fund to support local businesses whilst roadworks were in place within Grantham Market Place. The Leader suggested that a hardship fund would be an unusual step for the Council to take. However, the reduction in footfall seen at the Market was being taken seriously, and measures were being taken to improve the situation in Grantham Town Centre.

The Leader proposed option 4 within the report, which was seconded.

Councillor Matt Bailey raised the following points:

·       The Grantham Market Place redevelopment was a project that the people of Grantham felt they were not consulted on.

·       The original plan had been to fully pedestrianise Grantham Market Place.

·       There was a deadline of March 2025 to spend the monies granted through the Future High Streets Fund. It was not too late for the Council to change its plan regarding the Market Place. A letter could have been drafted to the Government to change plans for the Market Place but wasn’t, and it was believed that this was a missed opportunity.

·       The footpath on the outside of the Market Place was open to dust; people would not want to use outside café and restaurant facilities whilst the Market Place was a building site.

·       Many local businesses did not support the Market Place redevelopment.

Note:  Councillor Emma Baker left the Council Chamber and did not return.

In debating the item, Members of Full Council made the following points:

·       £50,000 would not be enough to support a business, if this fund were to be successful a higher amount of money would be required. Alternatively, it would be more beneficial to put money into a fund for the completion of the project, to support events and ultimately local businesses.

·       By creating a hardship fund for this project it could set a precedent and open the Council up to similar schemes.

Note:  The meeting was further extended to 5:45pm. Councillors Nick and Penny Robins, Harrish Bisnauthsing, Rosemary Trollope-Bellew, Vanessa Smith, Rob Shorrock, Peter Stephens and Rhea Rayside had left the Council Chamber and did not return.

·       The issue around the total amount of funding available is complex, as it was difficult to calculate how much income each business had lost as a result of the works.

·       The details of any hardship fund needed to be thought through quickly. If a business could demonstrate a material loss then they could apply.

·       There was sympathy with local businesses, however one issue was that the businesses affected were all of a different ilk. There were also several businesses affected that did not support a compensation scheme. Grantham Market had suffered a lot of criticism, but the new Market Manager had increased business due to putting in place new plans for the Market.

·       Lincolnshire County Council were managing the redevelopment scheme on behalf of South Kesteven District Council.

Note:  The meeting was further extended to 6pm.

·       It was the best approach to not limit funding at this stage and instead focus it on any issues at the Market Place.

A request was made to amend the proposal of option 4 within the report and replace it with option 2. The Chief Executive confirmed that this had the effect of negating the substantive motion, and therefore it could not be accepted.

A request was made that a recorded vote on option 4 be taken, as in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.5 any ten Councilors present at the meeting of Full Council could request this:

For:              Councillors Rhys Baker, Ashley Baxter, Pam Byrd, Richard Cleaver, Steven Cunnington, Phil Dilks, Barry Dobson, Patsy Ellis, Paul Fellows, Phil Gadd, Anna Kelly, Philip Knowles, Virginia Moran, Charmaine Morgan, Chris Noon, Habib Rahman, Max Sawyer, Ian Selby, Lee Steptoe, Paul Stokes, Elvis Stooke, Murray Turner. (22)

Against:        Councillors Matt Bailey, David Bellamy, Pam Bosworth, Richard Dixon-Warren, Ben Green, Graham Jeal, Gloria Johnson, Jane Kingman, Gareth Knight, Zoe Lane, Robert Leadenham, Nikki Manterfield, Paul Martin, Penny Milnes, Sarah Trotter, Mark Whittington, Jane Wood, Paul Wood, Sue Woolley. (19)

Abstain:        Councillor Tim Harrison. (1)

Having previously been moved and seconded, it was AGREED.

DECISION

That Full Council not set up a Market Place Hardship Reserve, but increase the budget available to the already identified mitigation measures and the activities to promote footfall to the Market Place in the short and medium term. The level of this increase and the policy on its deployment is to be discussed at the next meeting of the Finance and Economic Overview and Scrutiny Committee.