Town Centre Recovery Working Group 9th August 2022

Macclesfield Town Centre Recovery Working Group

Minutes of the meeting to be held on 9^th August 2022

In Attendance:

• Cllr Janet Jackson
• Cllr Fiona Wilson
• Laura Smith
• Aoife Middlemiss
• Jo Wise
• Matt Todd

Apologies

• Cllr Nick Mannion
  • Becky Thompson
  • Frank Bailey
  • Evi Girling
  • Abi Sherratt
  • Emma Anderson
  • Cllr Liz Brathwaite

1. Welcome from Chair

Cllr Jackson welcomed the group.

2. Update from sub groups:

Outdoor Hospitality – Cllr Fiona Wilson

Last meeting was scheduled for 19^th July, but this was rescheduled for 6^th Sep due to apologies.

Park Green update- Fountain and Red Willow have taken a collaborative approach and are waiting for sign off to get the space in the car park for outdoor hospitality.  There are issues with the tables cluttering the pavement causing access issues which will hopefully be resolved when they have the license in place.

LS and FW will keep an eye on the situation and speak to The Fountain if necessary.

Pavement licenses leaflets to be delivered as they are still valid, Jo will confirm if they can be used for next year as the date should hopefully be extended.

Art and Culture – Emma Anderson was not present.

Community Response- Aoife Middlemiss

Volunteering is still difficult, contact with ROAR has provided many people who would like volunteering opportunities. ROAR are assisting with the Mayors Civic event on 13^th August.

Green in the corner will be reopening very soon and there will be volunteering opportunities. Recently the building has been knocked through to the library to make a very nice space.

MHA – (old live at home scheme) are also crying out for volunteers.

No progress with videos on volunteering with peaks and plains.

Transport issues are rising with people getting to hospitals out of the area. MTC are staring a Community Transport subgroup.

Environment – Matt Todd

Eco Hub meeting was held the evening before:

Repair Café has 6 months of dates programmed in.

One project has secured town centre location to store and processing centre. There will be drop of points hopefully at the pharmacies,

3 litter picks in July – including one for Britain in Bloom. 3 more are planned for August.

3 events in Sep, ANSA recycling events, reducing single use plastic and also disposing food properly.

Eco Hub – medium term aim was to get a space so green groups could get together. Scoop and Scales have been offered a space at Heritage Centre, there will be a 3 month trial to see if the space is useful.

Matt will send the minutes to the group.

Communication

3. Update on other activities:

• CEC Feasibility Studies updates

No progress on these as work has been taking place on Shared Prosperity funds.

• Shared Prosperity Fund

Very tight deadline to develop an investment plan in order o get the allocated money.

E1 – funding for approvements to town centres 2.5 million

E6 – Arts and culture

E7 – Active Travel

E8 – Promotional Campaigns

E9 – Volunteering and social impact projects

E13 – Projects to reduce the cost of living

Next steps – identify how the money will be spent and the mechanism of how they decide where the money will be spent.

• projects have been identified:

1x match funding for public realm work in Macclesfield, should we get the Levelling up fund.

2 x Active travel projects, one in Macc and one in Crewe.

FW asked about Local Partnership group – TCRWG need as seat on this group. Town Clerk has not received the invite to the meeting, Jo will chase.

AM gave feedback on the grants saying it should not top up Spacehive system.

• Britain in Bloom Update

Judging went well, the groups and organisations of Macclesfield certainly did Macclesfield proud. Our score should be with us for end Aug/Sep.

• Public toilets

Barracks Mill developer are keen to support public toilets at back of Indoor Market. CEC feasibility showed that refurbing existing toilets and adding Changing Places toilets. MTC and CEC have funding to make this happen asap.

Meeting with Denise Griffiths next week.

• Opportunity for all group members to update on events and activities coming up

Mayors Civic event 13^th August

• Review Terms of Reference

Updated

1.2 removed ‘following the successful format of that held on 28th July 2020’.

2.3  change to: This is a ‘Task and Finish’ Group, which existed to develop a Recovery Plan. The group have reviewed this and it is extended until further notice.

5.1 change monthly to regularly

5.5 change to ‘Following every meeting, any decisions taken and actions agreed will be sent out in the notes.’

Suggestion to call the group Town Centre Working Group. To discuss next meeting.

AOB: JW concerns around vacancies in the town centre. JW doing a survey on Friday in TC.

• Date of next meeting

11^th October 2022 10am