Agenda item

Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme - The Kevin Cantlon Fund

To consider the report of the Chief Executive. (attached)

Minutes:

The Council’s vision for Surrey Heath was to make the Borough an even better place to live, work and enjoy. Following on from recent major financial investment in the Borough, financial results from the last year had been promising and good progress was being made on key refurbishment and regeneration schemes.

 

It was proposed that a Town and District Centre’s Shop Front Improvement Scheme be set up and delivered under the Council’s Economic Development Strategy. The funding and procurement for this Scheme would be approved by the Chief Executive through the Council’s Land and Property Board.  Details of the scheme and how to apply would be set out together with the eligibility criteria.

 

Works to the Camberley High Street had been identified by the High Street (Camberley) Working Group which had included the improvement of the appearance of the streetscape and public realm. Whilst some shops had carried out their own improvement works, the majority of units would benefit from shop front improvements. This investment would boost confidence in the area generally, and help to attract investment.

 

The Council would continue to work with the retail and commercial community to develop shopfront design guidelines and would consider rolling the programme out to other local centres within the borough.

 

The Scheme would be funded from Section 106 monies and the General Revenue Fund, and be known as the Kevin Cantlon Fund.  The total capital funding available for 2017/18 would be £100,000 and would be reviewed annually.

 

Kevin, who had died recently, had worked very closely with businesses across the borough and had been an integral part of many of the business associations.  He had also been in the process of setting up the High Street Forum and had completed a high street inward investment study with the support of the Local Government Association.  It was considered that this Fund would be a fitting testament to his memory.

 

Resolved

 

(i)              a Shop Front Improvement Scheme, called the Kevin Cantlon Fund, be set up as detailed above;

 

(ii)            the Corporate Capital Programme 2017/18 be increased by £100,000 to fund the setting up of the Kevin Cantlon Fund Shop Front Improvement Scheme;

 

(iii)          the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Land and Property Board, be authorised to determine the funding policy and grant conditions and, thereafter, determine any applications for this Shop Front Improvement Scheme.

 

Supporting documents: