Agenda item

Tim Child introduced his report which advised that it was anticipated that further engagement would be needed before decisions could be made on the best uses for the site and the resulting work then needed to deliver the scheme.  As this had the potential to be resource hungry, the report addressed proposals for resourcing the Queen’s Drive project over the next two years and recommended that two posts be appointed on fixed term contracts to focus on Place & Prosperity interventions in Exmouth generally, this to include Queen’s Drive.  The two existing project officers would be able to continue in their District wide roles and other projects would not be adversely affected by having to refocus on Queen’s Drive.

Simon Davey – Strategic Lead for Finance – advised the Group on the funds available to create the proposed two new posts which would be through the Council’s Business Rates Pilot Reserve to the sum of up to £200,000. This reserve was created from additional business rate income obtained when the Council was successful in a bid to Government (Devon Business Rate Pool) for a year trial of operating a 100% business rate retention scheme. The additional funds obtained were placed in a reserve with the purpose defined by Council as to encourage and protect the economy of the District. There remained at this stage an uncommitted balance on the Reserve of £1.584m.

Discussion on the report included the following points:

·        There was concern that new Officers appointed under these proposals would not be in post until the summer and would then need to familiarise themselves with the projects.  Officers who are already familiar with the projects were in place and progress could be made more quickly

·        Additional resources were needed to focus on the task and move the project forward and to completion

·        Exmouth was one of the leading destinations in East Devon and likely to be popular for ‘staycations’ as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic

·        Resources were needed not just for the Queen’s Drive project, but also for the regeneration and promotion of Exmouth as a whole

·        Councils should be investing in the future and the proposals signal an important investment in Exmouth

·        It was proposed in the report that the two new Officers would focus 50% of their time on Queen’s Drive with the remaining time on projects in the wider Exmouth town and it was vital to consider Exmouth as a whole

·        Resources were needed to implement the recommendations of the Delivery Group

·        Town centres were experiencing difficulties across the whole country and redevelopment would challenge any local authority

Cllr Hayward proposed that the recommendation as per the report be accepted.  This was seconded by Cllr Hookway and was agreed.

RECOMMENDATION TO CABINET:

That up to £200,000 be made available from the Business Rates Pilot Reserve for a Development Surveyor and an Engagement / Project Officer for a term of 2 years, dedicated to moving forward a suite of place & prosperity based projects in Exmouth and to include Queen’s Drive.