NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME BOROUGH COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM’S

REPORT TO CABINET

16 October 2019

Report Title:	Experience Newcastle – Newcastle Town Centre Growth Plan

Submitted by:	Chief Executive

Portfolios:	Corporate and Service Improvement, People and Partnerships

Ward(s) affected:	Town

Purpose of the Report To present for adoption the prospectus for economic growth in Newcastle town centre.
Recommendation That Cabinet approve the prospectus attached at Appendix 1 of this report That the approved prospectus be used as a tool to engage stakeholders in, and promote, the town centre growth agenda.
Reasons During 2019 Cabinet has considered a range of reports addressing various aspects of the town centre, addressing issues such as: Town Centre Growth – April 2019 Town Centre Market – June 2019 CCTV improvements - September 2019 Parking Strategy – October 2019 This report draws together the key issues from these reports into a single prospectus.

1.	Background
1.1	The Council has adopted as part of the Council Plan the priority “A Town Centre For All”, setting out the ambition for the town centre to have “the right retail, public service, leisure, cultural, business and residential facilities that work for local residents and attract visitors and businesses to the town centre.” During 2019 Cabinet has considered a number of reports which address different aspects of the Town Centre where specific action is required in order to strengthen the local economy and protect the town centre as far as possible from the impact of structural changes which are challenging high streets across the country.
2.	Issues
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5	In April 2019, Cabinet approved an overall strategic direction, based on action to deliver: Healthy High St – addressing the trading conditions, determining a suite of actions which can be taken to support economic vibrancy; Diversification – reflecting the need to bring forward residential and non-retail employment uses into currently under-utilised or redundant assets, bringing more people into the town centre to live and work. The report also established the multi-agency governance arrangements required to drive this agenda. In June 2019, Cabinet approved an action plan for improvements to the town’s historic market, with actions now being put in place to improve the vitality and sustainability of this key feature of the town centre. This was followed up with a further report in September 2019 committing the Council, with support from the BID, to upgrading the town centre CCTV. In October 2019, elsewhere on this agenda, Cabinet will consider a Parking Strategy which sets out how the town centre parking provision can be used to support the town centre economy. This report draws together these crucial strands of work into a single prospectus.
3. 3.1	Proposal It is proposed that the attached prospectus is approved by Cabinet
4. 4.1	Reasons for Proposed Solution It is important that the Council’s overarching strategy is presented as a single summary document. Such a document provides a useful tool for communicating the work of the Council and its partners in this area, and for engaging stakeholders in the delivery of the town centre growth agenda.
5. 5.1	Options Considered An alternative approach is to present the strategy as a series of linked Cabinet reports, however this is not as accessible or useful as having an overarching prospectus document.
6.	Legal and Statutory Implications
None directly arising from this report
7.	Equality Impact Assessment N/A
8.	Financial and Resource Implications None directly arising from this report
9.	Major Risks
None directly arising from this report
10.	Sustainability and Climate Change Implications None directly arising from this report
11.	Key Decision Information Not a Key Decision
12.	Earlier Cabinet/Committee Resolutions Cabinet decisions in April, June, and September 2019 underpin this report
13.	List of Appendices Experience Newcastle – Newcastle town Centre Growth Plan
14.	Background Papers Previous cabinet reports as listed above.