The Chairman asked Spalding Castle Ward
Member, Councillor Taylor, to provide a verbal update on the
Spalding Town Centre Improvement Plan:
Councillor Taylor gave a brief update for
information purposes to the Forum, with a full presentation to
follow at the next meeting.
- Spalding Town Centre Improvement
Plan had been established in 2019, and a steering group created to
look at initiatives to improve Spalding Town Centre. This was
halted due to the Covid outbreak.
- Within the last 3 years Spalding had
benefitted from new CCTV, covering most areas of Spalding including
car parks.
- Ayscoughfee Gardens had seen improvements and there
was ongoing development to the Ayscoughfee tennis courts.
- Spalding Bus Station and Spalding
Cemetery had both benefited from enhancements.
- The enviro-crime wardens had been
designated by SHDC to address the issues of anti-social behaviour
and flytipping.
- He confirmed that successful market
towns in the UK were under-pinned by successful partnerships and
that SHDC had submitted a bid for funding to attract investment and
to assume responsibility of initiatives and events.
- Cabinet had approved a budget of
£280,000 for the Spalding Gateway Public Realm Project, which
would incorporate new seating, planters, bins, and cycle storage.
The aim of this project would be to introduce notable improvements
to town centre locations and SHDC had been in communication with a
number of contractors to potentially start work this calendar
year.
- Spalding Re-Connect project received
funds from the National Lottery to promote the heritage of the town
through the Heritage strategy. Work would take place with events
led by Transported, with a view to create a Riverside Art and
Heritage Trail. Ayscoughfee Hall had
been given National Portfolio status through the Partnership with
Boston and East Lindsey. The Partnership had secured £1.9
million, which would see arts and cultural events delivered from
Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens, which in
turn would help to increase footfall into Spalding Town
Centre.
- Recent past events initiated by
Spalding Town Centre Improvement Plan included the King’s
Coronation event, and the Armed forces parade. Both of these events
were very successful. The Spalding Flower parade, which made a
comeback in 2023, would be scheduled to take place again in
2024.
- The Spalding Health and Wellbeing
Hub would replace the current Castle Sports Facility. SHDC had
received £20million from the Government’s Levelling Up
fund. SHDC would add an additional £6million. The £26million pound sports project would be
implemented by 2026.
- An expert regional consultant
recently reviewed Spalding and noted the positive aspects of the
town. Consultation and discussion would take place regarding the
empty shops in the town centre and how this would be
rectified.
- A more detailed presentation would
be provided at the next meeting of the Forum.
Members raised the following questions:
- Would funding be available for a
bandstand in Ayscoughfee Gardens?
o
The Spalding Castle ward member proposed that if residents
vocalised this would be desirable, it would be a request that could
be explored.
- A question was raised regarding the
planters that would need to be replaced/repaired in the Town
centre.
- Councillor Taylor stated that the
renewal of the planters would be starting in the latter end of
2023. Officers would be liaising with contractors to procure the
best price and the Forum would be advised further when officers had
acquired all the information.
- A question was raised regarding the
£35.000 (£30.000 from arts council grant) that had been
earmarked for the Abbey Passage project, and when would work
commence.
- Councillor Taylor acknowledged that
various debates surrounding the location of the project had been
voiced. Currently no definitive date had been agreed as to when
work would commence, however the Spalding Town Centre Improvement
Plan group would be closely working with art groups and local
school children to deliver the Art Project. He suggested the Forum
could reconsider the location.
It was recommended
that this would be discussed by the Forum and would be added to the
agenda for the next meeting. It was proposed to invite Transported
who would be leading on the project to make inquiries of their
plans for Abbey Passage. The Forum could work in cohesion with
Transported to enhance this particular area with public
artwork.
- A question was raised regarding the
timescale for the Art Project, could this be delayed until after
the next scheduled STF meeting, to enable Officers and Members time
to discuss Transported propositions.
- Councillor Taylor replied that as a
date for commencement had not been set, it was possible that the
forum may seek to tweak or change location for the site of the Art
Project. Transported had formerly received funds from the Arts
Council for this venture and would strive to work with the Forum to
utilise the Arts Grant to deliver residents aspirations.