Agenda item

Considered – a report of the Corporate Director of Community Development seeking the committee’s endorsement that the Corporate Director spends £66,000 of the Economic, Regeneration, Tourism and Transport Project Development Fund on the development of four schemes outlined in the report. 

Amy Thomas, Economic Service Development Manager advised that following an extensive Member engagement exercise a long list of project ideas had been established. Following preliminary research this list was refined to create a short list of the most viable schemes. More detailed scoping work was then undertaken by officers on these remaining projects in order to complete the scoping forms and associated recommendations which were contained within and attached to the report.

Ms Thomas then outlined the four schemes recommended for approval:

·       Coastal Access at Cayton Bay - £20,000

·       Offshore Economic Opportunities - £20,000

·       Active Travel / Social Prescribing Pilot Project - £15,500

·       Scarborough 400 Commemorations - £10,500

Two further projects – Scarborough Sea Pool and Briggswath to Ruswarp footpath – would be subject to further development work and would be considered by the committee in October.

Following presentation of the report, members commented on the proposals, commending the recommended projects for their economic, social, cultural and health benefits, and for the additional funding that would be leveraged through the Project Development Fund.

Questions from members concerned:

·       The timescale for the likely delivery of the Eastfield to Scarborough active travel route in light of its rejection for this fund because of the high cost involved (Councillor Tony Randerson)

·       How much additional funding would these projects attract if supported through this fund – could we be more ambitious?

·       Given its importance, could not more funding be directed to exploring offshore economic opportunities?

In reply, members were advised that:

·       A detailed reply would be provided to Councillor Randerson about the Eastfield to Scarborough active travel route

·       The amount of funding each project would leverage from other sources varied from case to case

·       Projects of higher indicative cost were rejected because they would exceed the fund’s budget

·       A significant body of work had already been undertaken on offshore economic opportunities. The £20k proposed was to combine these and develop a strategy and action plan with the aim of attracting commercial investment in Scarborough and Whitby harbours

Resolved – that the committee endorses that the Corporate Director, Community Development spends £66,000 of the Economic, Regeneration, Tourism and Transport Project Development Fund on the following schemes:

Coastal Access at Cayton Bay - £20,000

Offshore Economic Opportunities - £20,000

Active Travel / Social Prescribing Pilot Project - £15,500

Scarborough 400 Commemorations - £10,500

Total - £66,000