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Agenda item

Delivering the Croydon Growth Zone

Officer: Shifa Mustafa

Key decision: yes

Decision:

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

 

RESOLVED: To

 

1.     Approve the amended funding profile for projects as summarised in paragraph 3.7 of this report; and

 

2.     Subject to the requirement to comply with the provisions of Part 4G of the Constitution in taking delegated decisions and the parameters previously approved in the October 2018 Cabinet report ‘Delivering the Growth Zone (specifically Paragraph 3.88) delegate to the Executive Director of Place in consultation with the Executive Director of Resources (Section 151 Officer), the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, the Cabinet Members for Environment, Transport & Regeneration (Job Share) and the Cabinet member for Economy and Jobs, authority to make necessary changes to the funding and phasing of the approved Growth Zone projects list. Any such changes will be reported to Cabinet.

Minutes:

Cabinet was provided with a presentation which gave an overview of the Croydon Growth Zone. The Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport & Regeneration (voting – Job Share) noted that the Growth Zone looked primarily at the town centre but the regeneration was in the context of the large amount of growth which had been witnessed across the borough since 2012.

 

The uplift in business rates which had been experienced was helping to fund the transformation of the town centre to create a modern European city. Whilst the transformation had begun it was noted by the Cabinet Member that it would take time before the ambition was fully realised. The town centre was due to be transformed with a large amount of consented and planned developments due to take place, which were delivering new homes and spaces in the town centre.

 

The Cabinet Member welcomed the redevelopment of East Croydon, however it was noted that this would be dependent upon the work of Network Rail to improve the Brighton Mainline and the associated works. The projects within the Growth Zone project were complex and it was important to continuously review and re-profile to ensure projects were taking place at the most convenient time.

 

The Cabinet Member highlighted a number of achievements to-date, including award winning meanwhile activities, the enterprise zone, plans for a creative campus and projects which looked to transform the subways. Social infrastructure continued to be key to the Growth Zone plans as it recognised that the regeneration of the town centre would impact communities across the borough.

 

The Cabinet Member for Economy & Jobs spoke on Croydon Works, a job brokerage service which had supported over 1,000 people to start their careers, with particular success in introducing people to opportunities within construction. The opportunities of the Growth Zone were highlighted as they enabled the creation of new jobs in the borough which supported residents into employment.

 

The 100 Apprentices in 100 Days initiative was noted by the Cabinet Member for Economy & Jobs as having further supported residents. Additionally, it was noted that the council in partnership with Croydon College had been successful in being awarded £393,000 of GLA funding for a project which would support employers to recruit apprentices in creative, digital and health and social care.

 

The Smart City workstream was highlighted by the Cabinet Member for Economy & Jobs as being integral to ensure the best of technology in the borough. The council continued to support new digital companies being set up in the borough.

 

Between January and March 2020 it was anticipated that 1,700 young people would have accessed digital workshops at the 14 roadshows which were due to be held in schools in the borough, further supporting residents to have good technology skills.

 

The Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure & Sport informed Members that culture remained at the heart of regeneration. In recent years Croydon had enhanced its profile as a cultural hub with a broad programme of events and exciting activities. The success of this focus on culture had been realised with Croydon being award the Borough of Culture for 2023 and the Cabinet Member thanked officers and partners for their work.

 

2023 would be a fantastic year for Croydon and work to prepare for this had already begun. The Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure & Sport informed Members that more details would be shared in a report to Cabinet in March 2020.

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport & Regeneration (non-voting – Job Share) noted that while HGVs represented only 4% of vehicular movements across the country they contributed to over 50% of causalities. As such, construction logistics had been an important area of focus within the Growth Zone to support the delivery of the developments whilst ensuring the safety of all. The construction logistics plan had supported the council to coordinate construction traffic in the borough to enable both residents and businesses to continue with minimal disruption.

 

Members were informed that additional funding of £10m had been secured from Transport for London for the Liveable Neighbourhoods programme and £0.5m for bus priority projects.

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport & Regeneration (non-voting – Job Share) recognised that the re-profiling of the Growth Zone did lead to some schemes having a short term funding reduction, whilst others were increased, however it was stressed there was no reduction in the overall project.

 

Members were informed that an external consultant’s report had been commissioned to determine whether to design and build an energy network and it was suggested that the report would be taken to a Cabinet Member Advisory Committee, when established, for discussion.

 

The work of scrutiny members was recognised by the Cabinet Members and they were thanked for their work in reviewing the programme and making recommendations which had enhanced the Growth Zone programme.

 

Finally, the link between the Growth Zone and the council’s commitment to tackle the climate emergency being faced by the borough was recognised and as such the council was committed to ensure that the Borough’s regeneration was sustainable. It was integral to the success of the Growth Zone that Croydon was seen as a great place to live, study and invest.

 

The Cabinet Member for Safer Croydon & Communities thanked Cabinet Members and officers for the hugely significant report. The need for affordable community spaces across the borough was often considered a challenge and the Cabinet Member stated she was pleased to see that a detailed study on possible community spaces was being planned.

 

In response to Opposition Member concerns in relation to the Westfield development, the Leader informed Members that there would be a debate on the matter the following week after the Council meeting. Members were informed that the Leader had attended a meeting earlier that day with the developers at City Hall and that the developers had been clear that they were not leaving the city. It was stated that senior officials at Westfield did not recognise the narrative that had been circulated by Opposition Members and the Leader requested that councillors did not mislead residents.

 

The Leader further noted that when Westfield was first introduced to Croydon it was considered the first piece of the jigsaw to regeneration of the town centre; however it was now the last piece of the jigsaw. Westfield itself, it was stated, recognised that Croydon had transformed and the council would continue to hold them to account. It was however, acknowledged that there had been some large scale changes since the development was first proposed including Brexit and changes in the retail market and as such it was prudent for the developer to review its options.

 

In response to concerns relating to the reduction of the transport schemes within the Growth Zone, the Leader stated that the challenge was to ensure the council supported the growth which was taking place and that it was necessary for Network Rail to invest in the Brighton Mainline to support council investment in the East Croydon area. The Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport & Regeneration (non-voting – Job Share) informed Members that there remained £35m of planned investment in transport and that the overall budget had not been cut. It was noted that it was prudent to regularly re-profile large scale projects to ensure investment took place at the right time and the Growth Zone was a £16m programme of works. In terms of concerns relating to public realm works at East and West Croydon stations, the Cabinet Member stated that it was important to work with partners at these sites and to redevelop the public realm once rail improvements had taken place as it would be impractical to remove the public realm to enable the rail/station improvements to take place.

 

Members welcomed the Growth Zone project and the further regeneration planned for the town centre.

 

Cabinet Members stated that it was disappointing that misinformation had been shared by some Members in relation to the Westfield development and suggested that the behaviour of some Members was damaging the reputation of the borough. The Leader stated that the Administration had not delayed the development of the project and that it was a priority of the council to ensure Croydon remained robust despite the challenges of Brexit.

 

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

 

RESOLVED: To

 

1.     Approve the amended funding profile for projects as summarised in paragraph 3.7 of the report; and

 

2.     Subject to the requirement to comply with the provisions of Part 4G of the Constitution in taking delegated decisions and the parameters previously approved in the October 2018 Cabinet report ‘Delivering the Growth Zone (specifically Paragraph 3.88) delegate to the Executive Director of Place in consultation with the Executive Director of Resources (Section 151 Officer), the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, the Cabinet Members for Environment, Transport & Regeneration (Job Share) and the Cabinet member for Economy and Jobs, authority to make necessary changes to the funding and phasing of the approved Growth Zone projects list. Any such changes will be reported to Cabinet.

 

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