Town Centre Recovery Working Group 01.02.22

Macclesfield Town Centre Recovery Working Group

Minutes of the meeting  held on 1^st Feb 2022

Present:

Cllr Janet Jackson MBE

Cllr Fiona Wilson

Jo Wise

Laura Smith

Chris Draper

Matt Todd

Aoife Middlemass

Abi Sherratt

Becky Thompson

Apologies:

Nick Mannion

Liz Brathwaite

Evi Girling

1. Welcome from Co Chairs

Cllr Janet Jackson MBE and Chris Draper welcomed the meeting

2. Update from sub groups:

Comms- Abi Sherratt

Comms met last week 26/01/22 all actions complete apart from audit.  Open comms group up to share information with all comms groups in town. Change groups to 6 monthly where people can come along and tell us about their comms.  CD to invite a colleague from Peaks & Plains to attend extended Comms group.

Outdoor Hospitality – Cllr Fiona Wilson

• Held meeting 31/01/22, thanks Abi for such quick turnaround on the notes.
• Highlights:
• Town Hall feasibility study is underway.
• Markets – LS, JJ and AS attended the consultation and fed in the need for toilets.
• Park Green – with Crossings finishing, anyone with business ideas should contact Peter Skates. Feasibility was put out by CEC but no responses.
• Look at footfall data – AS to check figures.
• MTC to look at TH power supply.
• Signage for the Town – funded by MTC – JW and AS to discuss,
• MTC Gazeboes to be trailed outside Five Clouds. AS and BT to liaise with the businesses.

Art and Culture – Emma Anderson

• No art and culture forum since last meeting.
• Old library is in the process of being bought and Museum hope to work with the new owners.
• Mural in town is progressing.
• Light boxes – looks like they are going ahead.

• Avanti funding looks promising for the ‘treacle tart’ project. Station is the priority, then Sunderland St artwork and third is the revamp the station bridge artwork. This funding is not definite.

Community Response- Aoife Middlemiss

• Meeting up with groups and volunteer numbers have dipped.
• Speaking to groups like ROAR to encourage them to volunteer as part of the rehabilitation.

Environment – Matt Todd

• Eco Summit 2022 recap 14^th May
• Next Eco Summit set for Oct 2022.
• Repair café – 5 have gone ahead, great success. Over 80 items repaired. 6 months of dates confirmed at Senior Citizens Hall.
• Bring green groups together – Macctastic meetings used to bring the green groups together.
• Macc Litter Map on facebook shows the routes people are litter picking on, and ideas of the Great British Spring Clean.
• Terracycle – looking for a new site to increase capacity for recycling.
• Matt to set up a meeting for sub group and Aoife to be invited.

3. Review completed actions on the Plan

Laura ran through update of the plans – group added amendments.

LS to update and circulate.  Good progress with the action plan was noted by all.

4. Welcome Back fund update

Deckchairs, gazeboes, tables and chairs, planters all on order or delivered.

Spring campaign is coming – social media videos – will include the safety messages and ‘Say Hi to the High St’.

5. Update on other activities:

Update on the Crossings – Chris Draper

• 26 units for private renting will be handed over to Peaks and Plains by end FEB
• Affordable units handed over towards end Mar.
• 14 units are rent to buy – all gone.
• 50% shared ownership are reserved.
• Opening for Stakeholders in April – group will be invited.
• EV charging points for those who occupy the building- infrastructure built in so there can be more.
• In addition, Peaks and Plains acquired 40 Sunderland Street from shoemaker and are currently refurbishing it, ready to let to independent trader and act as an incubator for a small business.

Britain in Bloom Update – Cllr Jackson/ Laura

• Meeting 24^th Jan, planning the route, and planned on the flowers and planters provided by MTC. Leaflet to go to all businesses in town to encourage them to get involved.
• Community groups involved, ideas for phone boxes and wild flowers in sparrow park.
• LS, JJ and CD to get together to discuss ideas for Sunderland ST.

Public Space Protection Order out for consultation to tackle drinking issues in town centre. LS to share.

6. Date of next meeting

29^th March 10am