Agenda item

High streets in town, city and district centres in the UK are changing.  Even before COVID 19, high streets were continually in the news and public eye as a result of significant departures of many renowned retail brands, the rise in the number of empty shops and the change in experience reported by visitors. The reasons behind these changes are many and complex.  Nationally, many reports have been written, and many experts have commented on the changes happening to high streets and town centres and offered potential solutions.   Locally, the preceding Councils worked over many years, with key partners such as the Business Improvement Districts, Chambers of Commerce and industry groups, to proactively support and invest in their town centres in various ways.   Whilst this has not stopped, COVID 19 has arguably sped up a process that was already underway and created a new reality that now needs to be considered alongside the previous best practice. However, COVID 19 has also provided an opportunity to bounce back better, together, to embrace the change, and to consider how best a Council and its partners can intervene positively and create, or curate, high streets that are fit for now and for the future.  This report expands on the above, and asks for authority to be delegated to the Director of Development and the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning, to work with partners develop a strategy and deliver swift interventions that will support our high streets to bounce back quickly and strongly.

RESOLVED that Cabinet delegates authority to the Director of Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Strategic Planning to work with partners and ward councillors to swiftly develop a strategy and action plan, enabling the delivery interventions that will support our high streets.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning

Reason

To focus resources and effort of the Council and its partners on supporting our high streets to bounce back strongly and quickly, helping to deliver the Dynamic Places priority in the Corporate Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that high streets in town, city and district centres in the UK are changing. 

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that even before COVID 19, high streets were continually in the news and public eye as a result of significant departures of many renowned retail brands, the rise in the number of empty shops and the change in experience reported by visitors. The reasons behind these changes are many and complex.  Nationally, many reports have been written, and many experts have commented on the changes happening to high streets and town centres and offered potential solutions.   Locally, the preceding Councils worked over many years, with key partners such as the Business Improvement Districts, Chambers of Commerce and industry groups, to proactively support and invest in their town centres in various ways.   Further to this Cabinet was informed that whilst this has not stopped, COVID 19 has arguably sped up a process that was already underway and created a new reality that now needs to be considered alongside the previous best practice.

However, further to this Cabinet was advised that COVID 19 has also provided an opportunity to bounce back better, together, to embrace the change, and to consider how best a Council and its partners can intervene positively and create, or curate, high streets that are fit for now and for the future, and that this report expands on the above, and asks for authority to be delegated to the Director of Development and the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning, to work with partners develop a strategy and deliver swift interventions that will support our high streets to bounce back quickly and strongly.

In closing the Portfolio Holder expressed thanks to those involved in this work and further to this advised that there had been a recent all member seminar on this area.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet, expressing thanks that the recommendation from the recent meeting of the Board as set out below had been accepted by the Portfolio Holder.

The Overview and Scrutiny Board recommend to Cabinet that the recommendation in the report be amended as follows:

‘Cabinet delegates authority to the Director of Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Strategic Planning, to work with partners and ward Councillors, to swiftly develop a strategy and action plan, enabling the delivery interventions that will support our high streets.

RESOLVED that Cabinet delegates authority to the Director of Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Strategic Planning to work with partners and ward councillors to swiftly develop a strategy and action plan, enabling the delivery interventions that will support our high streets.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning