Chesterfield Town Board remains committed to £19.5m regeneration scheme pending Government go-ahead
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The former Conservative Government had earmarked the funding to be overseen by the Labour-led Chesterfield Borough Council over ten years for the area but with a new Labour Government and with a tough autumn budget expected some doubts have been cast over the scheme’s future.
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Hide AdHowever, Dominic Staniforth, Chairperson of the Chesterfield Town Board overseeing the prospective scheme, said: “Members of the Chesterfield Town Board remain committed to working together under the terms set out in the Long Term Plan for Towns programme.
“But like areas up and down the country which were allocated funding under this initiative, we are awaiting an update from Government on the next steps, which we anticipate could come as part of the Government’s Autumn Statement at the end of October.”
Mr Staniforth’s comments echo Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins’ hopes that the region will be able to finalise allocated regeneration funding arrangements under the new Labour Government.
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Hide AdThe borough council – which sits on the Town Board – agreed to be part of the new Long Term Plan for Towns scheme and it has been preparing a 10-year Vision Statement and a three-year Investment Plan for Chesterfield to unlock the Town Deals funding stream.
Chesterfield was chosen as one of 55 towns in the UK to share in £1.1bn of former Government funding by agreeing to participate in the LTPfT programme which requires a Town Board of representatives to complete certain requirements including a consultation to release £19.5m of Government funding for Chesterfield incrementally over the next 10 years.
Should the funding finally be agreed it will be spent on projects including regenerating High Streets and shops and securing public safety with the board overseeing the formulation and delivery of the long-term plan while supporting housing, licensing, restaurants, shops and regeneration.
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Hide AdThe LTPfT’s three priority areas were identified as safety and security, High Streets and heritage and regeneration, and finally transport and connectivity including sustainable transport access for cycling and walking into the town centre.
Chesterfield Borough Council Leader, Cllr Tricia Gilby, had welcomed the scheme to support communities and to make Chesterfield a thriving borough.
But Chesterfield Borough Councillor and Opposition Liberal Democrat Group Leader Paul Holmes had previously raised concerns how the council would be able to ‘future proof’ the LTPfT scheme with the prospect of changing Governments despite Cllr Gilby’s assurances that a General Election would not be expected to change the council’s priorities.
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Hide AdMr Staniforth added: “Thanks to all residents and businesses who took part in the consultation which ran over the summer, and we will provide an update as soon as we can.”
Conservative-controlled Derbyshire County Council is also waiting to hear from the Government’s Department for Transport on whether the £166m Chesterfield-Staveley Bypass regeneration project is still to go ahead.
Mr Perkins, Borough Cllr Gilby and NE Derbyshire MP Louise Jones have called on the Government to secure this particular funding in the county council’s bid to get the Chesterfield-Staveley Bypass project on the road.
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