Decision details

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report asking committee to consider suggestions for utilising the recently announced Welcome Back Fund.

Following on from the Government’s Reopening High Street Safely Fund in May 2020 where the Council had been awarded £53,771 to enable the high streets to reopen safely, there was now a Welcome Back Fund available, from which the Council had been awarded another £53,771. Combined with the underspend on the first fund this gave the Council a total allocation of £82,084 for helping to boost tourism, improve green spaces and provide more outdoor seating areas, markets and food stall pop-ups.

It was proposed to concentrate spend on the two new strands of activity for which this fund could be used, namely

·         Support to promote a safe public environment for a local area’s visitor economy, and

·         Support local authorities to develop plans for responding to the medium term impact of Covid-19 including trialling new ideas particularly where these relate to the High Street,

and to do this in the three main retail areas of Whalley, Clitheroe and Longridge.

The Director of Economic Development and Planning suggested that the funding be utilised for the following:

·         Appointing consultants to develop longer term strategic action plans for the three retail areas which will include engagement with stakeholders to understand any emerging issues and to explore options for pilot projects within the retail areas;

·         Design and erect banners, bunting etc to make the retail areas more visually attractive and promote the areas – this would include advertisement material;

·         Purchase temporary gazebos/seating – potentially linked to the pilot projects to be explored by the consultants; and

·         Procure services of a local artist to beautify high streets possibly linked to themes, such as Christmas decoration, within the high street.

The fund was wholly revenue funding and items were limited to £1000 value. It was also expected that the local authority would engage with local businesses and other relevant stakeholders and it was proposed to do this via the Town/Parish Councils.

The fund introduces a delivery partner option. Any delivery partners would be expected to demonstrate compliance with the funding rules, with non-compliance resulting in denial of funds which had already been defrayed, for which the Borough Council as grant recipients would be the accountable body.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.    Agree to the suggested areas of activity as outlined, and

2.    Agree that Ribble Valley Borough Council shall be solely responsible for the defrayal of the funding although there will be engagement with the relevant parish/town councils and stakeholders throughout the lifetime of the funding (the funding runs until the end of March 2022).