Town Centre Recovery Working Group 11th October 2022

Macclesfield Town Centre Recovery Working Group

Minutes of the meeting held on 11^th October 2022

In attendance:

• Cllr Janet Jackson MBE
• Laura Smith
• Becky Thompson
• Matt Todd
• Jo Wise
• Aoife Middlemiss

Apologies

• Cllr Fiona Wilson
• Cllr Nick Mannion
• Cllr Liz Brathwaite
• Evi Girling
• Frank Bailey
• Emma Anderson

1. Welcome from Chair

The Chair welcomed the group.

2. Update from sub groups:

Outdoor Hospitality

• MTC still have not been notified of any new licence applications and have noticed that CEC website is out of date. AS has emailed licensing.  JW has also approached relevant department to ask for an update.
• JS got someone in Highways who knows the issue – CEC have updated website – LS will email Highways.
• BT did say that containers appeared on Exchange Street and this was reported, CEC actioned it and it was gone the following day.
• Pavement on Chestergate is very full with shops and cafes putting out stalls, and not sure they have pavement licenses. BT will go round and chat to them. Pavement license would not cover sale of goods, only alfresco seating.
• Park Green area worked very well, they will have to apply again if they want to use it again.

Art and Culture

LS updated from an email EA

• IDST! updated on their Light Hive installation, which will have a public display soon
• Silk Heritage Trust – very successful response to Heritage Open Days across the town; our Walking Tours are continuing, themed to relate to Halloween, Remembrance Sunday and Christmas.
• The Old Sunday School spaces are now completely let out to community and social enterprise partners. Pinc College has expanded their Studio space; and Scoop & Scales are now running, what we call, the Welcome Space – which is available for community activities and displays.
• CEC are appointing an organisation to paint the shutters on Sunderland St and also vinyl will be replaced on the bridge. These projects must be completed by 31 03 23.
• Barnaby is recruiting a Creative Director and has provisional dates for next year’s festival – 16th-18th June 2023
• Rachel Higham updated the group on forthcoming Town Centre plans and will be talking to partners about future projects

Community Response–

• AM updated that she has been working with MTC grant recipients to aid them with their projects.
• Volunteering side – working with Peaks Plains on volunteering videos.
• Macclesfield Tree Surgery is being supported and AM is helping them get constituted.
• CVS are consulting with membership to see what challenges – big one is recruitment of staff and volunteers.
• CVS is having a conference in Dec, AM will invite Macc organisations to present their work. This group can feed in suggested organisations.

Environment

MT updated

• Eco Summit held on Saturday – went very well.
• Repair café is 18 months, 2 asks
  • Any ideas for longer term repair projects
  • They have a lot of space on the days they do the café and workshops/ childrens events, they can use the space for free.
• Macctastic are getting going with their public meetings again.
• Litter picking is getting set up for Oct/Nov.
• Scoop and Scales are a small welcome area in Sunday School, they have that until DEC.

Communication

– Abi/ Cllr Janet Jackson will hold another meeting for comms networking. Suggested holding something in November or January. Abi to suggest a plan.

3. Update on other activities:

• CEC Feasibility Studies updates
  • Station Gateway and Churchill way JW reports back to CE on Friday.
  • Town Hall – Capacity means that they cannot move it forward as yet.

Proposals were very substantial and therefore will require a lot of funding.

• Macclesfield Markets – public toilets are the priority.

• Shared Prosperity Fund
  • JW updated that the Gov have asked for an addendum to the investment plan to add rural funds, no funding has been confirmed yet.
• Britain in Bloom Update
  • Attending finals on 20^th
• Public toilets
• Group know this is an issue for the town. MTC have approached St. Michaels to open their toilets more and are aiming to make a list of places to use while CEC and MTC try to get new toilets in town built.
• Opportunity for all group members to update on events and activities coming up
  • LS let the group know that MTC is running Spooky Saturday 29^th Oct, Christmas Event 26^th Nov and late night shopping 15^th
  • LS let JW know that the kit from the Welcome back fund has been extremely well used by many groups in the town.

4. Discussion on name of group

Decided to keep the name for now.

5. Date of next meeting

Next meeting set for 6^th DEC 22 10am