The report on pages 53 – 60 was introduced by David Moore and a presentation was given by Peter Ward to support the report.

The Chair thought the proposal was exciting with great projects and said that Tilbury was a forgotten town that needed regeneration. He noted that an earlier version of the plan  had included a proposal to build a new youth facility where the police station currently was and that the plan had now changed,  to build the youth facility on the Anchor Field. He highlighted concern on the loss of space on the Anchor  Field and questioned whether residents had been consulted on this. He asked noted the Bid also contained proposals for King Georges/Daisy Field and asked what facilities would be delivered on the Daisy Field. He also mentioned that the martial arts facility at the old fire station was being terminated and asked whether the facility would be relocated.

Peter Ward explained that the footprint of the police station was not big enough for the youth facility and there was a need for a location in an outside area to encourage young people to do outside activities. The Board was still looking at other options and would be offering a fair amount of mitigation for encroaching on part of the Anchor  Field. The project was still being refined but the aim was to make the area better, and encourage more uses onto the Anchor Fields site. The Daisy Field proposal was also still being refined, but the plan is to use more of the open space for sports use with hardstanding areas to build changing rooms. The Towns Fund bid would not be submitted until the end of January and the Board would be consulting again before then. There have been  discussions with the Chair of the Martial Arts Academy regarding how this would be facilitated going forward and the project aimed to enhance community space that would be all-inclusive and accessible for everyone in the community.

(The Committee agreed to suspend standing orders at 8.25pm to enable the rest of the items on the Agenda to be completed).

Councillor Kerin questioned when residents would see the physical aspects of the project. Peter Ward answered that it would take a few years for the projects to come to fruition and the intention was to implement projects as soon as government funding was approved. David Moore explained that the Council had received “ accelerated funding” from government for the Towns Fund areas,and this funding  had to be spent by 31 March 2021.  The funding supports the bigger projects in the Town Fund plans, but also inlcudes smaller projects such as the demolition of the fire station and essential equipment for the youth centre. The timescales for process for the submission of  the town investment plan to Government were that the initial plan would be submitted by January 2021, and then more detailed business cases would be worked up, which might take  up to a year.  Once those were approved, the funding would be agreed by the Government, and projects were expected to be built over a period of three years.

Andy Millard asked that an additional recommendation (1.4) be added for the Committee to agree on to which the Committee agreed.

RESOLVED:

Members of Planning, Transport, and Regeneration Committee are asked to:-

1.1      note the work of the Town Board in progressing the Town Investment Plan.

1.2      note the intention to submit a Town Investment Plan, based on the ongoing stakeholder engagement and indicative projects described in this report.

1.3      note that further reports will be submitted at a later date with details of projects prior to completion of a Town Deal with Government.

1.4      provide a letter of  support for  the work of the Town Board and that this support will be submitted as evidence for the Town Investment Plan when it is submitted in January 2021.