Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Caulfield.

Please follow the link below to view the latest Forward Plan.

Forward Plan

The Forum considered the Forward Plan.

RESOLVED –

That the Forward Plan be noted.

The Forum considered the Scrutiny recommendations implementation monitoring schedule.

RESOLVED –

That the Scrutiny monitoring schedule be noted.

The Work Programme for the Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum was considered.

It was noted that work was taking place to prepare the 2021/22 work programming process.

RESOLVED –

That the Work Programme be approved.

There was no update.

The Minutes of the Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum held on 21 January, 2021 were presented.

RESOLVED –

That the Minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair

To move “That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act".

Part 2 (Non Public Information)

RESOLVED –

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

5.10pm to 5.20pm – Officer’s introduction

5.20pm to 6.05pm – Questions and discussion

The Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, Service Director – Economic Growth and Economic Development Manager attended to present an update report about the Elder Way and Northern Gateway Developments, further to the report presented to Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum on 17 September, 2020.

The Northern Gateway scheme was approved by Cabinet in July 2016. The scheme aimed to improve the northern gateway to the Town Centre through the provision of three main elements:

·      Provision of a new Multi Storey Car Park (MSCP) to replace the former Saltergate car park that had fallen into disrepair;

·      The construction of the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre on Holywell Cross;

·      The delivery of a new public realm scheme, centred on Elder Way and part of Knifesmithsgate.

Another related element was being delivered by the private sector. Jomast Developments Ltd had purchased the former Cooperative Department Store on Elder Way and a full refurbishment of the building had been completed. Premier Inn had taken over the upper floors of the building and had been operating since April 2019. Eight leisure/retail units at ground floor with a basement suitable for uses such as a gym were being actively marketed.

Northern Gateway scheme was funded by;

·      Sheffield City Region Infrastructure Fund grant of £5,830,000;

·      D2 Rates Retention Grant of £600,000;

·      D2N2 grant of £300,000; 

·      Chesterfield Borough Council has contributed £6,500,000 to the scheme, predominantly in the construction of the new Saltergate MSCP.

When complete, the scheme was expected to deliver in the region of 500 new jobs. The redevelopment of Elder Way had been funded by Jomast Developments Limited, at a cost of approximately £13m.

The construction of the new Saltergate MSCP commenced in September 2018 and was completed in July 2019. In September 2020, it was reported to Scrutiny that the project was completed on time and on budget. The only additional activity which had taken place within the period since September 2020, was that the construction retention period had ended from a contractual perspective and all snagging works had been completed.

The Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre was being developed on part of Holywell Cross car park. When complete, it would provide a high quality base for up to 32 start-up and small and medium sized businesses. The Centre had been designed, on behalf of Chesterfield Borough Council (CBC), by local architects Whittam Cox. The new Centre sought to build on the success of the Council’s existing portfolio of Innovation Centres at Tapton and Dunston. The building had been designed to have sustainability principles at its heart, minimising its impact on the environment and achieving considerable efficiencies in energy use.

CBC had appointed contractors, Robert Woodhead Ltd to build the Enterprise Centre. Work on site commenced at the end of April 2020 and work had progressed since the scrutiny update in September 2020. The building was now at full height and weather-tight with a complete roof and the external brickwork pillars were being constructed. Internally the ground floor was almost complete with internal partitions and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

To move “That after the consideration of an item containing exempt information the public be re-admitted to the meeting”.

RESOLVED –

That after consideration of an item containing exempt information the public be readmitted to the meeting

6.05pm to 6.15pm – Officer’s introduction

6.15pm to 7.00pm – Questions and discussion

RESOLVED –

That consideration of this item be deferred and included in the 2021 Scrutiny Work Programming.