Item 10 - Flourishing DIG Report
West Dunbartonshire Council · 21 November 2024
Back to Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board — 21 November 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Management Board Meeting Development and Improvement Groups (DIGs): Highlights and Issues Report FOR INFORMATION ONLY X FOR DECISION Name of DIG Flourishing Delivery and Improvement Group (DIG). Date of report November 2024 Name and email of lead contact Peter Barry 1 Highlights of activity and progress since last meeting Regeneration Dumbarton Levelling Up Programme • Glencairn House works underway • Connecting Dumbarton complete • Planning Permission in Principle application submitted for the Artizan Redevelopment Masterplan. • Planning application for Phase 1 works will be considered by November Planning committee • Phase 1 works principal contractor will be appointed in November, works are scheduled to start on site in January 2025. • Demolition of units to rear underway, all demolition works are planned to finish by Christmas Town Centre • Shared Prosperity Funded shopfront improvement grants scheme has now closed for new applications. 5 businesses in Dumbarton took advantage of the Shared Prosperity Funded shopfront improvement grants, with a few more being progressed by the business owners. ITEM 10
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Alexandria • Restoration of Smollett Fountain complete inclusive of the feature lighting. • Ballot on Business Improvement District, initiated by Alexandria Traders, is scheduled for 14th November • Shared Prosperity Funded shopfront improvement grants scheme has now closed for new applications. 20 businesses in Alexandria took advantage of the Shared Prosperity Funded shopfront improvement grants. • RIBA Stage 3 designs for Alexander Street have been completed, Stage 4 will be completed following further discussions with internal stakeholders. • Design team to develop and deliver Mitchell Way public realm improvements will be formally appointed in November; community engagement will take place in early 2025. Clydebank Queens Quay District Heating Network • Legal and commercial discussions regarding the Golden Jubilee Hospital connection ongoing Town Centre • Planning application for the Clydebank Canal-side Activities was approved in September. • Town Board established for UK Government Long Term Plan for Towns, with Liz Connolly appointed as Chair; continued to meet in the summer to develop the Long term plan • Public consultations were held in the Clydebank Shopping Centre at the end of July • Long -term Plan and 3 year Investment Plan was completed and approved by the Town Board. It was submitted to UK Gov in October 2025. • Shared Prosperity Funded shopfront improvement grants scheme has now closed for new applications. 2 businesses in Clydebank took advantage of the Shared Prosperity Funded shopfront improvement grants so far. Exxon • Updated costs from contractor received in October. Costs have increased for inflation reasons because the remediation of the site by Esso took longer than anticipated. There were also costs increases related to traffic management and utilities. • With the scope for providing readily developable platforms reduced, the main infrastructure project is affordable with an increased capital contribution from Council of £0.8m. The main road and through route will still be delivered, subject to Council approval on 30 October. • Project Board has recommended that the marketing of the site should commence as soon as possible.
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Scottish Marine Technology Park • A positive site meeting with the Deputy First Minister, the Council Leader and Chief Executive, senior staff at Scottish Enterprise and the Malin Group was held in October to explore ways that the funding gap for SMTP could be closed. Follow-up meetings will be held with Scottish Enterprise. • It is expected that key decisions about the continuation of UK Government including Investment Zones will be communicated on or around the Autumn Budget Statement at the end of October. The Malin Group and Strathclyde University had submitted a bid to be part of the proposed City Region Investment Zone for Advanced Manufacturing and Precision Engineering and to benefit from that investment. Business Support • During the period April – September 2024, 102 clients have been provided with assistance through Business Gateway to start-up in business. (target 90) • Applications continue to be received for the business support interventions funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. To date, the fund has supported:- 16 Recovery & Growth grants; 13 Early-Stage Growth grants; 2 Working Towards Net Zero grants; 2 Enhancing Tourism Events & Attractions grants and; 18 businesses have been provided with specialist expert help. • A group of local businesses have received consultancy support to help build their own website. The consultancy support funded through UK Shared Prosperity Fund provided a mixture of group training and one-to-one support to ensure participants gained the knowledge required to build and maintain their own business website. • We continue to work in partnership with Glasgow City Region and Strathclyde University to provide businesses with green business advice through the development of carbon baseline assessments. This support is funded through UK Shared Prosperity Fund. To date, 8 businesses have been referred for a carbon baseline assessment. • A Green Skills Business Training Grant has been developed to assist local businesses to improve their green skills. This grant will provide a financial contribution to assist businesses to upskill their staff and/or diversify to provide additional services related to green technologies such as:- Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Electric Vehicle Charging Solar Thermal Systems Ground & Air Source Heat Pumps External Wall Insulation
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Employability/Learning/Income Maximisation TBC 2 Outline of any issues/risks and how these are being managed Regeneration Inflation and rising costs are a challenge in project delivery. We are looking at adjusting scope to make projects affordable or seeking additional funding where possible. Some government grant schemes have been suspended or reduced which limits funding for future projects. It has now been confirmed that Place based Investment programme funding will not be release in 2024/25 and it is uncertain whether funding will be released in 2025/26. Tight timescales associated with external funding pose a challenge to project delivery. We are seeking support from external consultants where appropriate and work collaboratively with other teams to identify solutions. Business Support The main risk for the Business Support team is their reliance on the continuation of funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which provides funding to support staff costs and business support interventions. The team will continue to engage with UK Government through the SLAED group and will continue to explore any other relevant sources of funding. Employability TBC 3 Outline of the main outputs expected before next meeting Regeneration • Alexandria, Mitchell Way improvements – community and stakeholder engagement underway, public events scheduled. • Clydebank, Activity Centre – delivery strategy confirmed, subject to funding from Long term Plan for towns being confirmed and available.
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• Clydebank Town Centre – implementation plan for the Long term Plan agreed, subject to funding from Long term Plan for towns being confirmed and available. • Dumbarton, Artizan – demolition works completed • Dumbarton, Artizan – Phase 1 construction works underway • Exxon Infrastructure project contract signed • Decision on Glasgow City Region Investment Zone expected to be made by new UK Government. Business Support • Increase the number of businesses referred to Strathclyde University to receive carbon baseline assessments. • On-going promotion of the business support interventions within the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. • Continue to provide Business Gateway advisory service to start-up and growth businesses. Employability TBC 4 What are your requirements of partners in the Community Planning Management Board to achieve the outcomes of the DIG? Placemaking Good placemaking will continue to underpin the regeneration, development and improvement work in the town centres as we aim to align funding and resources, with Council, DIG partners and external funding, to achieve our ambitions. Business Support The on-going commitment and support from the community partners will help to maximise the impacts of the business support activity being developed and implemented through the Flourishing DIG. This will assist with reinforcing our efforts to develop a strong local economy that will provide access to opportunity for all in West Dunbartonshire. Employability TBC
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5 Please outline any good news story you wish to share