Operations & Improvements Committee Meeting
Minutes of the Operations and Improvements Committee Meeting 17th January 2024
Present:
Cllr Messent
Cllr Mackay
Cllr Coiley
Cllr Bratherton
Cllr Hogben
Cllr Mortimer
Cllr Wye
Cllr Pratt
Cllr Murray
| 1 | To receive apologies for absence. |
| Apologies were received from: Cllr Yates and Cllr Straine-Francis. | |
| 2 | To note declarations of Members’ interests. |
| Cllr Mackay and Councillor Murray declared a non-pecuniary interest in items 6, 7 and 10 in relation to the Heritage Centre. | |
| 3 | To confirm and sign the minutes of the Operations and Improvements Committee meeting held on 3rd October 2023. |
| RESOLVED: That the minutes are approved as a true record of the meeting. | |
| 4 | Public Participation |
| A period not exceeding 15 minutes for members of the public to ask questions or submit comments in relation to the published agenda items.
No comments or questions were received. |
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| 5 | To note the year-to-date financial position for the Operations and Improvements Committee. |
| NOTED: The Year – to date financial position. | |
| 6 | To consider matters related to the Crewe Heritage Centre. |
| NOTED: The report on the Heritage Centre. | |
| 7 | To consider matters related to Crewe Heritage delivery plan. |
| RESOLVED:
(i) To allocate 2023-24 budget of £1,500 for plaques to develop and deliver a school engagement project with the Crewe Engineering & Design UTC. (ii) To recommend to council that the remaining 2023-24 budget of £10,890 is used to appoint a freelance bid writer to secure grant funding income (approx. £100,000) for a Crewe Heritage Centre Learning Officer. NOTED: (iii) The grant of £1,000 to the Statue for Ada group agreed under resolution OI/23/1/8(iii) will be made direct to the group, instead of via Cheshire Women’s Collaboration. (iv) The establishment of a Stakeholder Group to work with Purcell UK to deliver the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan. |
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| 8 | To consider matters relating to the Crewe Business Improvement District. |
| RESOLVED: To instruct officers to hold a discussion with the BID board about the potential
retention of the funds invested by the Town Council, which would be reflected in the Council retaining a role as a sponsor or associate member of the BID. This view to be reported back to Council in March, for a final decision on whether to request a return of the funds. |
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| 9 | To Receive an update and consider matters related to the Regeneration Delivery Plan 23/24 |
| i. NOTED: the update.
RESOLVED: ii. To allocate £5000 from Budget for the ‘Keep on Keeping On’ project from Regeneration Projects. iii. To register thanks to volunteers and the Creative Champions for their support of town centre animation. iv. To support Easter animation, £6000 from Regeneration Projects. v. To support Victoria Centre improvements to the value of £10,000. vi. The residual Public Realm funding 23/24 be allocated to lighting enhancements in the town centre. vii. That the Regeneration Manager investigates cost of lighting enhancements for consideration and approval at the next O&I meeting. viii. To support the revised approach to investment in Brookhouse Drive Park, with a view to agreeing on final designs in March. |
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| 10 | To consider matters related to the committee’s business delivery plan for 24/25 |
| NOTED. That the above service delivery plan and identified associated spend within the
2024/25 budget will be considered for recommendation to Council at the March meeting of this committee. RESOLVED: i. Where costs have been confirmed with public service providers (Cheshire East Council and its subsidiary, Ansa), permission is given to agree contracts. ii. With Regard to Cleaner Crewe: Members requested an options appraisal to consider alternative use of budget. iii. To include wider park improvements within the use of play area improvement budget. iv. Regeneration Projects: to support animation and engagement with public spaces through supporting volunteers and commissioned activities and employment of casual staff to assist. v. Public Realm: to continue to enhance town centre spaces through painting, lighting, repairs and new street furniture. vi. Heritage – to support the activities and expenditure listed. |
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| 11 | NOTED: The proposed date of the next meeting Tuesday 12th March 2024 at 6.00 pm |
The meeting finished 19.36 pm
Chair Cllr S. Mackay
Clerk L. Lewis
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