Issue - meetings

Report of the Director – Development and Economic Growth

The Head of Service for Economic Growth and Property delivered a presentation on the health of the Boroughs town and village centres, highlighting comments submitted by Councillor Williams via a Scrutiny Matrix approved by the Corporate Overview Group.

The report circulated with the agenda provided the Group with an overview of a recent retail review commissioned for each of the Boroughs 7 larger town and village centres. It included current challenges and opportunities and sets out recommendations identified in the review, for areas the Council can focus on in the short, medium and long term. 

The report also identified the priorities and actions from the recently published Economic Growth Strategy that have been selected to help support and enhance the offer in the Boroughs town and village centres.

The Head of Service for Economic Growth and Property informed the Group of the high street business support the Council has provided to date, via a combination of Covid19 government support, high street grants and more recently via the UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF).

The Head of Service for Economic Growth and Property also shared some of the data from the 2023 Retail Reviews commissioned for the Boroughs 7 main town centres at; Bingham, Cotgrave, East Leake, Keyworth, Radcliffe on Trent, Ruddington and West Bridgford, highlighting that overall, it was a positive picture, with low vacancy and a high proportion of independents. It was reported that vulnerability is low to moderate in all town centres excluding West Bridgford where it is reported to be moderate to high.

The Head of Service for Economic Growth and Property explained that as high streets evolve, the vulnerability of some high street businesses e.g. product retail to things like online is greater than others. The reviews assessed the range of businesses in the town centre and gave an overall score for vulnerability.

The Group were asked to consider the recommendations from the retail reviews, including targeted business support, feasibility studies for possible future uses of long-term empty units, establishing formal trader’s groups, incubator/pop up space to support start-up businesses and working closely with stakeholder Groups such as landlords to proactively influence the future of our town or village centres.

The Head of Service for Economic Growth and Property referred to the Council’s Economic Growth Strategy and Plan and highlighted some of the work being progressed by the Economic Growth Team.

These include:

·       Masterplan/vision for West Bridgford and other town and village centres

·       Progressing feasibility plans for pedestrianisation of West Bridgford following public realm work

·       Establishment of town centre groups including learning from best practice from groups already established in the Borough

·       Establishment of landlord forums

·       Meeting/workshops/networking with visitor economy businesses, including the hospitality sector and accessibility and training to support this

·       Tourism brochure(s) to promote the offer in our town and village centres

·       Responding to emerging challenges such as bank closures

The Group were advised that the Council is waiting to hear how much and if any, UKSPF it will receive in 2025/26.  The Government have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13