City Deal update - Report
Renfrewshire Council · 1 May 2024
Back to Leadership Board — 1 May 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 1 May 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Resources ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: City Deal update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report is to update the Board on Renfrewshire Council’s Glasgow City Region City Deal being undertaken by the Council’s City Deal and Infrastructure Team. 1.2 Renfrewshire Council is delivering an ambitious regeneration agenda, focused on creating the infrastructure and business environment required to generate economic growth and attract more, highly-skilled jobs to the area, while alos promoting active travel and green opportunities to ensure that the area is a fairer, more inclusive place where all our people, communities, visitors and businesses thrive. As a partner in the Glasgow City Region City Deal, signed in 2014, Renfrewshire Council along with the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the other Member Authorities is tasked with growing the economy through the delivery of £1.13bn of infrastructure projects and supporting economic development activity. ________________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Leadership Board is asked to: i) Note progress of the CWRR City Deal project; ii) Note the submission of an Expression of Interest to the City Region Programme Management Office as detailed in this report. ___________________________________________________________________
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3. Project Updates 3.1 Clyde Waterfront Renfrew Riverside Project The Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside (CWRR) project is reaching an exciting point in its delivery with the arrival, in two sections, of the new opening bridge from fabrication yards in Europe. The photograph below shows the southern span complete and ready for transit to Renfrew, due to arrive later in April with the north section following approximately one month later in late-May – with the transit from Europe taking approximately four days. As each section of the bridge arrives, the project contractor Graham will lift each span into position and there will follow an intensive period of completion and commissioning with the bridge due to open to the public later this year. 3.2 City Deal Reprogramming Following discussions with the UK and Scottish Governments, £64.57M of City Deal Infrastructure Grant Funds will be allocated to a new “Regional Project”. Member Authorities have been invited to submit suitable projects for consideration by completing an Expression of Interest by 17 May. This funding allows the Deal to support new opportunities or address new priorities which have emerged since initial City Deal programme assembly exercise in 2013/14.
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Thereafter, the EOI’s will be evaluated and scored against set parameters in accordance with the project prioritisation framework set out in the Assurance Framework by the GCR Programme Management Office. As the project(s) will require to demonstrate regional benefits, the successful project(s) will be 100% funded through City Deal Infrastructure Grant. Each submitted project will be allocated an overall score based on the summation of the scores within each of the key components. This scoring will be used to rank/prioritise each of the proposed projects. A Programme Prioritisation Appraisal Report will be circulated to Chief Executives on 31 May 2024 and presented to the 6 June 2024 Chief Executives’ Group (CEG). The report will outline the results of the assessment/scoring exercise and the recommended New Regional Project. The number of projects which are selected will be dependent on the amount requested in the EOIs received, for example, should no single large-scale Proposed Project with a cost of £64.57m be identified through the process, multiple projects may be considered. The Programme Prioritisation Appraisal Report will also be shared with the UK Government and Scottish Government on 31 May 2024 for inclusion in Government decision-making processes for the period to 17 July 2024. Following CEG review and input, the Programme Prioritisation Appraisal Report will be considered at a Special Cabinet meeting which will take place w/c 10 June 2024. Following Cabinet review and input, the revised Programme Prioritisation Appraisal Report will be shared with the UK Government and Scottish Government for inclusion in Government decision-making processes to 17 July 2024. Both governments decisions on the overall proposals will be provided to 17 July 2024 Programme Liaison Group (includes government officers) ) meeting. Where approval has been gained from governments, a report will be presented to CEG on 25 July 2024 outlining the governments’ decision and seeking agreement from CEG on the New Regional Project which should be recommended to Cabinet. A report will be presented to 6 August 2024 Cabinet outlining the governments’ decision and seeking approval for the New Regional Project. Any approved project will be given an equivalent status to those on the Initial Project List identified via the initial Programme Assembly Exercise in 2013 and will be invited by the Cabinet to proceed to Business Case development stage. Should Renfrewshire be successful then all required governance and approvals required will be through the Leadership Board. The City Deal and Infrastructure team are working with other officers and scoping a suitable project for submission by Renfrewshire.
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This is currently being scoped but will likely be a project building on the previous City Deal investment, and other investments in cultural venues and buildings within Paisley. It will aim to provide sustainable access for our communities, businesses and the wider City Region to high quality jobs and business opportunities at employment sites in Renfrewshire, including the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), Inchinnan Business Park and Glasgow Airport. The proposed projectwill include provision of a sustainable regional transport hub around Gilmour St/County Square which would help achieve our net zero goals and support our move towards more sustainable transport options. Further details on the project will be brought to a future meeting of the Leadership Board. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none. 2. HR & Organisational Development – none. 3. Community/Council Planning – Our Renfrewshire is thriving – These projects will link our communities and facilitate new development opportunities and business growth with both projects improving skills development, educational and health opportunities for people within the local communities as well as aiding employees to access these major existing and new employment centres. The projects align with and aid the outcomes of the Renfrewshire Economic Strategy 2020 -2030 and the Renfrewshire Economic Recovery Plan Our Renfrewshire is well - The new safer walking and cycling infrastructure incorporated within these projects, will help encourage active travel by children and young people, as well as adults. Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – These infrastructure projects provide connectivity and access to new and existing jobs for people in our communities. During the project construction period hundreds of new jobs have been created and as a result of new business creation it is estimated that thousands of additional new permanent jobs will be created. NMIS and MMIC are already up and running as a direct consequence of this enabling infrastructure. The combined projects investment in linking active travel infrastructure and education and will provide connectivity and access to new and existing jobs for people in our communities. Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all – CWRR provides access to development opportunities along Meadowside Street, increases the potential to reinvigorate Blythswood Retail Park and improves access for the communities on both sides of the River Clyde to facilities and employers on the other side such as the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital; NHS Golden Jubilee; West College Scotland’s Clydebank campus and Yoker train station.
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The project also increases the employee catchment area for businesses planning to locate at AMIDS, while improving links to suppliers and customers. Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy - The completed infrastructure includes segregated provision for walking and cycling and will also enable improved public transport links CWRR opens up development opportunities, which through the LDP will be managed as sustainable linked communities. Working together to improve outcomes - Officers are working closely with local communities, neighbouring councils, private sector organisations, Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, and other partners to ensure the maximisation of positive outcomes from the projects noted within this report. 4. Legal – none. 5. Property/Assets – completed assets will require to be maintained and operated by the Council. 6. Information Technology – none. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – none. 9. Procurement – all contracts are tendered in accordance with Council procurement procedures and where relevant taken to FRCS Board for approval. 10. Risk – Project specific and Programme level risk registers have been established for all projects. These are kept under regular review and reported to the Council’s internal City Deal and Infrastructure Programme Board. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. COSLA Policy Position – not applicable. 13. Climate Risk – the project will provide sustainable active travel routes and encourage sustainable neighbourhoods and transport links including provision of blue green infrastructure _________________________________________________________
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List of Background Papers None. __________________________________________________________________ BW April 2024 Author: Barbara Walker, City Deal and Infrastructure Programme Director; Email Barbara.walkers@renfrewshire.gov.uk