Members considered the report of the Executive Director that detailed proposed amendments to the Bexhill Town Centre Steering Group’s (BTCSG) Terms of Reference (ToR) and allocation of funds to develop a Town Centre masterplan.

The BTCSG was initially established in 2010 to shape a new vision, develop a regeneration plan and strategy for the Town Centre.  The Bexhill Town Centre Strategy (BTCS) was published in 2013 after a period of consultation with relevant key stakeholders.

In October 2018, to undertake a more strategic approach to defining the shared vision for the Town Centre, the BTCSG approved a revised ToR and timescale for delivery.  To develop a new strategy, in March 2019 a series of focused workshops with key stakeholders were held and in April 2019, the Council submitted a bid to the Future High Streets Fund.  Unfortunately the bid was unsuccessful.  However, the process demonstrated that there was a need for a coherent strategy and masterplan to be developed to provide an improved chance of securing external funding.

Following the district elections in May 2019 and change of political control and Cabinet Portfolio Holder, it was decided that the original timetable was insufficient to develop the BTCS.  Therefore the timetable had been reviewed and ToR amended accordingly.  The revised ToR was appended to the report at Appendix 1.  It was proposed that the membership be increased to include a local resident, to be selected through an open process by application and appointed by the BTCSG, as well as a representative from Rother Voluntary Action.  It was also proposed that the Bexhill Town Team be removed and that a number of priorities identified during the workshop sessions be included within the BTCSG objectives.

Cabinet agreed to increase the number of local residents appointed to the membership from one to two and to appoint Bexhill Councillors Timpe and Thomas.  The Cabinet Portfolio Holder and Chairman of the BTCSG gave assurances that the two business representatives would be appointed in consultation with the local Chamber of Commerce.

To ensure that future bids were achievable / successful it would be necessary to develop a visionary masterplan for the physical environment of the Town Centre.  Specialist assistance would be required therefore it was recommended by officers that the remaining £41,370 of the Town Centre Section 106 funding be allocated to develop the masterplan. 

However, Members were not supportive of allocating this amount of money and agreed in the first instance to allocate £10,000 to commence early developmental work leaving a balance of £31,370.  This funding could be put to good use on small scale projects across the Town Centre that would enable residents to see that improvements were being made.  Members noted that there had already been a lot work already done and this could also be drawn on to save costs, including the public realm work previously undertaken by the authority. 

RESOLVED: That:

1)    the revised Terms of Reference for the Bexhill Town Centre Steering Group be approved and the membership be confirmed as:

Ø  Chairman: Portfolio Holder for Bexhill Affairs (Bayliss)

Ø  RDC Members of Bexhill Central Ward (Bayliss and Courtel)

Ø  Two business representatives to be nominated by the Chairman (in consultation with the Chamber of Commerce)

Ø  Two resident representatives (by application process)

Ø  Locate East Sussex

Ø  East Sussex County Council (ESCC) Portfolio Holder for Transport and Environment (or nominated ESCC substitute)

Ø  CEO of the De La Warr Pavilion (Stewart Drew)

Ø  A representative of Rother Voluntary Action

Ø  Bexhill Ward Councillors Timpe and Thomas

2)    an initial allocation of £10,000 of the Town Centre Section 106 funding be approved to start the work of developing a Town Centre Strategy and Masterplan with a further report to come back to Cabinet following the reconstitution of the Bexhill Town Centre Steering Group.