Agenda and minutes

Chair

Welcome to everyone attending the face-to-face meeting at the Dearne Playhouse and thank you to Julie Medlam for hosting us.

Apologies were received from Stephanie Peacock MP, Claire Dawson, Dan Harper, Stacey Chaplin, Julie Tattershall, Mark Bell, Rebecca Slack, Andy Lock, Chris McGinley, Justin Homer, Antonio Jamasb Bala Shahri.

Chair

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 17/08/2023 were accepted as a true record.

Actions from previous meetings and matters arising:

The following update on the actions from the previous meeting was presented by Rachael Allington 

Project D: Housing 

Action: Julie to arrange Housing Needs Assessment appointments as part of the acquisitions process, Berneslai Homes to also attend the appointments. 

Update: Appointments are being arranged.  

Project G: Community and Cultural Hub 

Action: Mike and Liane to organise a media day with Heart of the Wood to give a sneak preview closer to the end of production

Update:planning such as VIP tickets for Board members is currently being finalised and will be information will be distributed shortly

Project H

Action: Teresa and Claire to organise a meeting to pick selfie board discussion up

Update: Members have now met, and this topic has been discussed

Board Review 

Action:  Becca to follow up introducing an induction process for new board members

Update: Board member welcome packs are now finalised and circulated

Communications 

Action: Becca Gamble and Mike Cotton to review the existing FAQs with councillors

 ‘Meet the Board’ – Becca to work with Mike to increase the exposure of the Board in the area both online and within the community.

Update: Mike has been asked to include meet the board in his October update - FAQs have already been shared.

SYMCA

Action: Rebecca Slack to bring an update regarding opportunities for the investment zone site.

Update: Following a meeting with BMBC officers, Rebecca has prepared a presentation to inform Board Members regarding the role of SYMCA with a brief focus on investment zone opportunities in the Dearne

Action outside of the Board meeting: Following the resignation of the NHS Board representative we emailed Board members to offer a non-voting representation from a BMBC member in Public Health: Julie Tolhurst. We then received a request for further information on the proposed membership. She completed the application form for voting members to give some further information after which we received no further requests for information.

Decision: Julie Tolhurst has therefore been confirmed as a new board member.

Chair

Matthew Stephens: Has been contacted as President of Barnsley Rotherham Chamber and Chair of Goldthorpe Town Board by one of the applicants for the Commercial Investment Fund.

Dearne South Councillors declared that they have also been contacted by a CIF applicant.

This item is on the agenda and has been noted by Council members should mitigations be required at that discussion point.

Chair

Becca Gamble advised that when the role of Chair was appointed at the last meeting, we had no nominations for Vice Chair. Only private sector members can serve as a chair/vice-chair and so all eligible members were approached to explain the role of vice chair and ask for nominations to appoint the role. As we had no nominations, we would like direction for Board on a process to implement if the Chair cannot make a meeting.

Discussed the newly appointed private sector members. Tim Coleman expressed interest in being vice chair once he has more experience on board.

Decision – Tim Coleman agreed to be a temporary vice chair for a couple of meetings when the item could be revisited to appoint the position.

Rachael Allington

A presentation was shared for board members only.

Question from Matthew Stephens: When does the funding run until?

Towns Fund nationally runs until March 2026 but in the Summaries, we profiled spend and activity to March 2025. If we find more time is needed on any projects, we will seek DLUHC advice and/or follow DLUHC processes to manage this.

Discussion took place regarding how the Towns Fund monies and procurement exercises could benefit local suppliers and contractors, and the board requested clarification on the tender processes that could assist this.

Jenny Lockwood advised that Council thresholds are set to seek best value. Above £50k goes onto YorTender but could be 3 quotes. £70k plus goes to open market tender.

Explained tender process and what the scoring process is and how it helps local businesses to grow.

Discussion took place with a deeper explanation of assurance processes being requested. Procurement frameworks were also requested to be added as part of this.

Jenny Lockwood explained how the different framework agreements and how initiatives such as GoforGrowth can support smaller organisations to optimise their bidding for this work.

Julie Tattershall/Alison Dalton

A presentation was shared for board members only.

A confidential discussion took place about the plans that are currently being investigated. Board wished for it to be noted that they have concerns regarding the deliverability of this complex project in the timescales provided by DLUHC, which has been impacted by the significant delay in the approval for the project.

Action: Alison/Rachael to look at possibilities to review resources available on this project to ease some of the time pressures to accelerate the current approval timescales through the BMBC Cabinet process.

Wendy Hepple/Alison Dalton

A presentation was shared for board members only.

Question from Matthew Stephens: Are there any future regeneration plans for other areas of Goldthorpe?

Answer fromAlison: Not as yet but is being looked at as part of future work.  The Towns Fund investment will hopefully be a springboard for the future.

Answer from Rachael: The Towns Board is established in the first instance to oversee that Towns fund projects but as we move through the delivery stages, we need to consider the legacy of the fund which could be to retain and expand the remit of the board to support wider regeneration plans.

Question fromMatthew Stephens: What is happening with the old school site?  if the interested commercial parties do not transpire?

Action: BMBC to talk to colleagues in assets management to see if any further information is available.

Rachael Allington

A presentation was shared for board members only.

 A Cabinet paper relating to this item is due at Cabinet on 18^th October, the Cabinet report is exempt from publication due to the nature of the commercial sensitivity, however the following recommendations are published:

It is recommended that Cabinet:

1. notes the actions taken to launch Project L and the process undertaken to assess the subsequent applications for CIF grant received from businesses.
2. approves ‘in principle’ the release of CIF grant to those grant applicants successful in meeting the schemes robust assessment criteria and due diligence requirements – final release of grant being subject to the satisfactory conclusion of scheme clarifications, due diligence and contract negotiations (Section 3.1.8 refers).
3. delegates authority to the Executive Director of Core Services in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 officer and Legal services to finalise the grant offer and contract terms to each applicant – noting that any variation in the grant offer to either applicant would i) need to sit within the limits of delegated powers and ii) within the overall Towns Fund budget allocation for ‘Project L: CIF’.
4. approve the virement of Town Fund budget allocations from the ‘Project L: CIF’ budget to support the delivery of ‘Project K: New Access Roundabout’ and ‘in principle’ agreement to ‘Project D: Goldthorpe Housing’ projects.

Noting that acceptance of this proposal will still leave sufficient balances within the Project L budget to fully support scheme delivery and meet contracted outputs

A confidential discussion was held. At the start of the meeting, it was noted that some members had been approached by one of the applicants to the Commercial Investment Fund. This item was an update on the process and current position and so no mitigations were required at this meeting but are noted and should be raised again by members should any future decision be required if the conflict is still present.

Elected members requested they be briefed with an unredacted version of the cabinet report in order that they on behalf of the towns board have full transparency of the due diligence undertaken in order to be satisfied that the due process has been followed.

Action: BMBC Officers to seek approval from Governance to facilitate a briefing session with the Dearne South & North elected members during the 5 day call-in period in order that they, on behalf of the Towns Board, have full transparency of the due diligence undertaken in order to be satisfied that the due process has been followed.

John Healey MP left the meeting at this point.

Mike Cotton

·       Including presentation regarding website access data

A presentation was shared for board members only.

Question from Tim Coleman: How representative is the data shared of population size in immediate area?

Answer fromMichael Cotton: Explained what was represented on the graphs shared.

Question from Tim Coleman: Is there work ongoing to signpost Towns Fund page on other forums?

Answer fromMichael Cotton: There are Council social media channels to share information on as well as the Dearne Area ones such as Dearne Area Team and external to the Council - Goldthorpe Development Group usually share too. We have a mailing list of interested parties to share news items.

Action: PS Paul Aston asked to be added to the mailing list so police networks can distribute as well.

Action: Mike advised he will provide an update next time on how the opening of the Town Square has impacted the website visits.

Justin Homer

Alex Clegg advised that DLUHC can help distribute key comms messages out as well. There is potential to get a minister along for next big event.

Monitoring & Evaluation return – for the next return there is a push for quality of returns as checks are getting stricter in releasing funds. Evidenced detail in the returns is needed.

Rebecca Slack

·       Including a high-level presentation

As Rebecca Slack had to give apologies for the meeting this item will be rolled to the next meeting.

Action: Add SYMCA presentation to the November meeting

Becca Gamble

·       New glossary of key terms Towns Fund terms for board members

Becca Gamble shared a presentation for Board members only.

Update provided on the support for new members that has now been used to create a process for future new members. Requested discussion from Board members on support for the delivery timeframe of the Towns Fund and the legacy of the Fund. Due to time constraints, it was agreed to revisit the discussion at the next meeting.

Action: Add Board Development discussion to the November agenda.

Question fromCouncillor Coates: Are all of the projects sponsored now?

Answer from Rebecca Gamble: Matt Bowker is now a Housing Project Sponsor. Tim Coleman and Claire Dawson have joined Phoenix Park as sponsors. The only Project left without a sponsor is Heart of Goldthorpe, but the major capital works are now completed, and it is only the wayfinding element to be delivered now.

Board discussed wayfinding, the selfie trail and potential to bid for Arts funding to enhance the Heart of Goldthorpe project further.

Rachael Allington

Board members suggested that face to face / hybrid meetings be discussed under the Future Board Schedule item next time

Action: James Eggington to circulate potential future dates as a discussion point for the ‘Future Board Schedule’. James Eggington/Becca Gamble to discuss hybrid options internally and with Tim Coleman.

Alison Dalton gave an update regarding the Housing development at Billingley view.

Board members were shown the Dearne Playhouse as one of the Town Funded projects.

Date of next meeting – Thursday 30th November 2023 14:00-16:00 (Teams)