Decision details

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which updated Members on the different stages of the Runcorn Old Town Investment Plan (ROTIP) and the approvals required going forward.

Runcorn was one of 101 towns invited by Government to develop proposals for a ‘Town Deal’ and following submission of the Town Investment Plan, had been offered an award of up to £23.6m.  The objective of the Towns Fund Programme was to drive the sustainable economic regeneration of towns to support long term economic and productivity growth.  A Town Deal was a three way agreement in principle between Government, the Local Authority and the Town Deal Board.

The report set out the next steps required to progress and implement the Town Deal for Runcorn and authority was sought to progress the Town Deal in the Council’s capacity as the ‘Accountable Body’ to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and as part of the Council’s role on the Town Deal Board.  Attached to the report was Appendix 1 – Heads of Terms for the Town Deal offered by Government, which included the list of projects, and Appendix 2 – the Local Assurance Framework document for the Runcorn Town Deal for which approval was sought, so that the business cases could be developed and signed off.

RESOLVED:  That the Board

1)    approves the Local Assurance Framework for the development and signing off on project business cases;

2)    delegates authority to the Operational Director for Resources (Section 151 Officer) in consultation with the Operational Director – Economy, Enterprise and Property and Portfolio Holders for Major Projects and Corporate Services, to approve the Town Deal Business Cases in the Council’s capacity as the Accountable Body, to be developed and submitted to Government by 4 August 2022;

3)    in consultation with the Town Deal Board and Deputy Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services, authority be delegated to the Operational Director – Economy, Enterprise and Property, and Section 151 Officer, to authorise the expenditure of the 5% Towns Fund advance in line with the agreed Towns Fund priorities; and

4)    delegate authority to the Operational Director Economy, Enterprise and Property and Section 151 Officer, to agree and complete Funding Agreements with partners that will deliver Town Deal projects on behalf of the Council, as the Accountable body for the Towns Fund Programme.