Ensuring our area recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic and maximising economic opportunities continue to be the focus of the council as it considers its budget.
That’s the message from the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Councillor Philip Jackson, as he addressed colleagues at tonight’s full council meeting.
He explained how “balancing opportunity, aspiration and challenge will continue to be demanding.”
“As members know,” he told the chamber at Grimsby Town Hall, “we received the 2022/2023 local government financial settlement before Christmas, and that has informed the budget report considered by Scrutiny this week. Council will consider the budget and Medium-Term Financial Plan in detail at its February meeting.
“We must remain focused on our enabling and facilitating role, supporting local economic growth, and working closely with our partners to ensure that our borough both recovers from the impact of the pandemic and maximises the significant economic opportunities coming to fruition in this region for the benefit of residents, communities and businesses.”
His comments formed part of his Leader’s Statement, the last of which was given in September; the most recent full council meeting was postponed because of the outbreak of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
He said it was with “cautious optimism” that “it is hoped that we are through the worst of the impact of the variant.”
“I pay tribute to local NHS colleagues, primary care, the Clinical Commissioning Group, council staff, and the many volunteers for the effort going in to support the continuing vaccine programme,” the Leader told fellow councillors.
“The vaccine remains the single most important line of defence and I urge anyone who has yet to get vaccinated to do so. With the seemingly improving position, I hope we can move forward, with our partners, to focus on recovery across our local economy and in our communities.”
Councillor Jackson went on to say: “It is clear from the recent Ofsted inspection that the improvement journey for Children’s Services was always going to be a long and challenging one.
“My administration remains steadfastly focused on improvement and better outcomes for children and families in this borough; it is important that councillors, officers and partners work collectively on the challenges faced.
“The Department for Education Commissioner commenced his work here earlier this month and my administration commits to working on a cross-party basis to ensure that all councillors are appropriately engaged in the improvement arrangements –that includes ensuring that scrutiny plays its part constructively and effectively.”
Moving onto green credentials, Councillor Jackson said: “At a recent Cabinet meeting, we approved our carbon road map, setting out our commitment to working with partners, communities and businesses to meet the climate emergency challenge that this council set itself in late 2019.
“North East Lincolnshire is, in so many ways, at the forefront of the carbon reduction agenda, leading the way on offshore wind and renewable energy, playing our part in the development of the Humber Freeport, supporting major projects like Zero Carbon Humber, and facilitating the establishment and growth of leading-edge local businesses in the sector.
“As the Humber region is still a major carbon producer, it is right and proper that we should collectively play a leading part in reversing that trend. Our carbon road map lays down the challenges and sets out the opportunities, and we will continue to give it the impetus required to support sustainable and clean growth in our borough.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Jackson explained how the publication of the Government’s much anticipated Levelling Up White Paper is still awaited.
“It is likely that it will set out the Government’s approach to the next phase of devolution, in the form of county deals,” he said.
“This council gave full backing to Greater Lincolnshire devolution back in 2016 which, for various reasons, did not proceed to a positive conclusion. This council is now a full and exclusive member of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership. We also remain fully committed to the Humber economic opportunities.
“Our continued and active membership of the Humber Leadership Board is testament to that, as is our full support for the Humber Freeport initiative and the wider decarbonisation focus around the estuary.
“The ambition of this administration is to maximise strategic collaboration opportunities on a Greater Lincolnshire footprint. Discussions about a suite of possible County Deal asks are underway and once we know the detail of the White Paper, it is my intention to bring a report to Cabinet and Scrutiny for consideration.”
On housing, Councillor Jackson said “strong interest and feedback” has been received from local developers on the council’s proposed contractual arrangements and approach in delivering housing on the Western and Mathew Humberstone school sites.
This covers local skills, employment, supply chains and electric vehicle charging facilities, he said, adding: “These brownfield sites will deliver about 500 homes, including private sales through to affordable housing, including one-bedroom dwellings, meeting an unmet demand. Work is due to commence on site this year.
“Further positive news on housing – the 2022/2023 council tax base, assuming it is agreed later on tonight’s agenda, includes more than 800 additional band D equivalent properties.
“This is the highest year-on-year increase I can remember during my time as a member of this authority and is also reflected in the additional £800,00 of new homes bonus awarded as part of the 2022/2023 financial settlement.
“These are clear signals that our housing strategy is working and supporting our economic growth ambitions.”
He continued: “Enquiries on Pioneer Park and the wider SHIIP (South Humber Industrial Investment Programme) remain buoyant, with myenergi expansion plans well under way, a second local business in advanced negotiations for a plot on Pioneer Park, and several live enquiries for investment or expansion across the energy and food sectors.
“The designation of the Humber Freeport earlier last year was vital to the economic growth plans of North East Lincolnshire. The outline business case for the freeport, setting out the proposal for three tax sites and two seed capital sites, was submitted to the Government last July and approved in the autumn. One of the seed capital sites is specifically beneficial to North East Lincolnshire.
“We have now received an indicative allocation of seed capital funding to support SHIIP across several projects. In particular, it will be targeted at developing the skills offer in the area, providing bespoke accommodation for our SME base – an area where we currently have significant undersupply, supporting innovation across the renewable sector and providing infrastructure on a number of privately-owned sites to unlock inward investment.
“The first two tax sites were approved in the autumn statement at the end of October and went live in November. The Full Business Case (FBC) guidance has now been published and it is expected that the Humber Freeport will submit its FBC by the first deadline of January 31 for subsequent approval later in the spring.
“This will set out in detail how the Humber will meet the key objectives of the Freeport designation in respect of global trade, regeneration and innovation.
“Approval of the FBC is a major step as it is a precondition to the release of Seed Capital Funding, funding of business rate relief to local authorities so they can pass on these benefits to tax site occupants, and the ability to use recycled rates to fund schemes across the region.
“There was more good news for the Port of Immingham last week, further reinforcing its position as the nation’s largest port by volume, with a £100-million deal between Associated British Ports and Stena Line to construct a new terminal. Designed to meet the demands of increasing trade volumes between the port and the EU post-Brexit, it’s great news for the local economy and local jobs.”
Moving on to a final update for councillors, the Leader said: “Arrangements to deliver transformation in Grimsby town centre following the awarding of £17.3-million of Future High Streets Funding and £21-million of Towns Fund grant monies are progressing.
“There was recent good news about the future use of St James’ House as a business hub. We are also in the process of making a strategic land acquisition, the long-term ambition being for development of a town centre transport hub.
“The announcement this week that the New Look retail outlet is to close emphasises how quickly the high street continues to change and the urgency around attracting new uses into the town centre. My administration will continue to identify ways to accelerate this transformation.
“Engagement with the Cleethorpes Masterplan public consultation has been very encouraging,” Councillor Jackson added, “with the numerous responses currently being analysed and the plan drafted.
“Cabinet recently approved the development of a two-storey car park at Grant Street which will enhance the resort and its tourism offering. It will reduce congestion and pollution by providing additional parking close to the main entrance to the resort. It will support the development of the Cleethorpes controlled parking zone, enabling residents to park outside their homes rather than competing with resort visitors.
“The new car park will meet modern security standards and include an electric vehicle charging hub and enhanced facilities for blue badge holders. It will help to regenerate the north of the resort with enhanced connectivity increasing footfall along the North Prom.”
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