Issue - meetings

(Report of the Director of Urban Environment – To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Enterprise) To seek approval to re-profile Haringey’s capital spend allocation for the delivery of the Myddleton Road PSiCA programme. 

We noted that the Myddleton Road Strategy Group was a stakeholder steering group chaired by the Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Regeneration which discussed neighbourhood issues and prioritises areas for local improvements. We also noted that a proposal has been received from the Stakeholder Group to use £100,000 of the £300,000 capital allocation for Partnership Schemes in Conservation Areas (PSICA) to undertake other improvement projects on Myddleton Road. The proposal sought flexibility to deliver a project that could help to improve business and retail footfall in Myddleton Road, encourage future participation in the PSICA shop front scheme and foster good partnership working between local stakeholders and the Council.

We noted points raised by Councillor Oakes in respect of re-profiling of the works which were now different from the set of objectives that monies were originally scheduled  and  were informed by our Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Regeneration that discussions with the Strategy Group had identified some initial projects that included a window replacement and upgrade scheme, upgrading the public domain or facilitating a local street market. A final proposal was still being discussed and was subject to further consultation with local businesses and residents. If the proposed improvement projects remained within the grant funding objectives of PSICA it might be possible to re-negotiate the existing agreement and delivery plan with English Heritage without loss of match funding.  Initial discussions with English Heritage indicated that this option could be approved subject to approval of a revised delivery plan. However, we also noted that re-profiling the existing budget to divert £100,000 for other improvement projects might risk the match funding proportion from English Heritage and would reduce the current delivery plan for improving 10 shop fronts to 6.

We also noted our Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Regeneration’s comments in relation to the demographic make up of the area of Bounds Green Ward and the variety of shops to reflect this, as well as the possible concept for having a market type operation in the area.

RESOLVED:

That approval be granted to the proposal of the Myddleton Road Strategy Group as detailed in the interleaved report to permit flexible spend for £100,000 of Haringey’s PSICA capital budget allocation on other improvement projects in Myddleton Road.