PAPER F

1

Welcome and Introductions – All

2

Apologies – Alex Minns (Chair)

Apologies were received from Fiona Capewell (IWC) and Colin Rowland (IWC)

3

Declarations of Interest

None

4

Minutes of the Last Meeting held on 18 September 2023

They were unanimously agreed.

5

Levelling Up Fund / Ryde Town Plan – Alex Minns

• PJ provided a brief update on initial meet between IWC/RTC representatives and members of Boston Town Board. They emphasised importance of need for:

  • strong relationship between IWC and RTC to govern work

  • strategic board with an accent on quality not quantity

  • using fund for leverage for other funding

• AM highlighted there had not yet been much guidance from Department Housing Levelling Up and Communities (DHLUC) on how the initiative will be run and there was some uncertainty over what is meant by the

‘endowment type fund’.

• AM indicated that the Board will be required to submit an investment plan to DHLUC for their approval by the summer 2024. Pulling this together could be supported by external consultants.

• JJE asked how timelines for establishing the Board and producing and implementing the plan worked.

• JJE also asked how relationship between IWC and RTC will work with IWC as the accountable body for the funds. Suggested Governance will be key to success.

• AM indicated IWC and RTC will be meeting as a priority to discuss

  ACTION – AM to set up meeting

  
  

• PJ asked whether here was really the need for further public consultation given the amount that has been undertaken in recent years.

• AM suggested what was needed was a strategic approach to the investment plan that would deliver substantive long term change – such as infrastructure schemes - not just a collection of small one-off interventions.

• PJ stated that the Board would need people with the reach and influence to make things happen.

• PJ relayed that in discussion with representatives of Boston’s Town Board they had suggested that operating the scheme’s communications through an external agency - ie not the council – had been advantageous to them.

• AM stated a meeting was in the diary with the RTC Clerk to discuss this and other questions.

• PJ also stated that IWC had recently learnt that it had been awarded

£13.6m from the Levelling Up Fund towards the Island Greenlink scheme.

6

Place Plan

No update

7

IWC Area Regen Update – Pete Fellows

• PF stated the chief activity concerned The Department project. An award of £250k had been secured from National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). However, there remained a project funding shortfall of approximately

  £120k. At the invite of Historic England (HE) a bid would be made to secure this shortfall with a decision expected in December 2023.

• PF indicated that Arts Council England (ACE), the principal funders of the scheme, would not permit the project to commence until all funding is in place.

8

Ryde High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) – Fiona Capewell

• Fiona was unable to attend but sent the following update:

  
  

  Shopfronts

• The Crown – Main lighting work complete, signage and lanterns to be replaced within next 2 weeks.

• The Gambling Man works in progress and HAZ banner in place for grant promotion.

• Aladdin’s Cave will commence after Gambling Man complete.

• The Kebab House tender completing 20th November. Contractor to be appointed before Christmas.

  Pedestrian Zone Improvements

• The inclusion of SuDS in Ryde Pedestrian Zone project was taken to the IWC Major Highways project Board on 25/10/23 and approval was granted. This positive decision on SuDS means that Southern Water will cover all SuDS related costs in the project, allowing the HAZ and Active Travel budget to extend further.

• SuDS provide an ecological benefit for the scheme and the town, especially with the adverse weather conditions that the Island has been experiencing.

• Design meeting took place on 20/10/23 and agreement on paving materials was reached. The colour palette will follow on from the approved materials used at the Ryde Interchange, to provide continuity for the town.

• Final design work including planting specification and maintenance plan now being prepared and project costs being requested from Island Roads Commercial Team.

• Visualisation of the project will be produced once the design work complete and we are ready for public engagement.

• Full stakeholder and public engagement process will take place once the project costs have been confirmed and delivery schedule planned. Local displays and information sessions will be held.

  
  

• PJ asked question about the proposed bollard at the bottom of the High Street to prevent unrestricted vehicular access

ACTION - FC to clarify

9

Town Hall – Helen Keogan

• HK indicated the Conservation Management Plan / building condition report was expected imminently from the project architect.

10

Ryde Town Council update – Phil Jordan

• PJ stated there was no update on Vectis Hall

  
  

• JW asked whether progress had been made on transport strategy Supplementary Planning Document for the town

• PJ replied that no progress had been made.

• JMc suggested JW raise the question at the next meeting of RTC Full Council

• PJ says junction plan has been undertaken

• JW suggests that infrastructure needs around Nicholson Rd should be looked at

• HK suggested there was no interest from private sector for this area

• JJE suggested there is interest but would require seed funding from public sector.

• AM stated that business case for Nicholson Rd development did not stack up.

• JW suggested that viability of Nicholson Rd development was dependent on Pennyfeathers development going ahead which currently it is not and, furthermore, will need a brand new planning application to be submitted

• PJ stated that RTC had agreed to take on responsibility for the new toilets at the interchange and that a local business were lined up to take on the lease of the café from spring 2024.

• PJ also stated that new CCTV had been installed at the interchange.

11

Ryde Business Association

No update.

12

Ryde Society – Helen Keogan

No update

13

Future Meetings – Alex Minns

• AM raised the question concerning the future of this meeting.

• All – happy for meeting to continue as currently structured for immediate future and see how it will merge / support the Town Board.

• JMcL said volunteered to chair the next meeting on behalf of the RBA.

• AM happy to chair until Town Board established and / or RBA reformed.

Date of next meeting – Monday 29th January, 6pm Lind St.

14

AOB

• JW wanted to congratulate Zoe and the group who had rebuilt the town’s skate park on the seafront