Agenda item

11.1

The committee considered a report of the Executive Director, City Futures that updates on Sheffield’s Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) scheme that was made up of three distinct interventions, FHSF Public Realm and Infrastructure, FHSF Event Central and FHSF Front Door Scheme.

The paper provided a general update on all interventions of the scheme and highlighted the cost increases in relation to construction of the FHSF public realm and infrastructure works at Fargate, High Street and Castle Square.

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Transport, Regeneration and Climate                Policy Committee:-

a)    subject to approval by the Finance Sub-Committee or Strategy and Resources Policy Committee, agree in principle to:

i)               the prioritisation and phasing of public realm and infrastructure works with Fargate as set out in the report;

ii)              submits a project change request to DLUHC under the MoU for their approval to the proposed prioritisation, phasing and scope change to the public ream and infrastructure;

iii)            obtains DLUCH approval for a project change request before implementing the delivery of Phase 1 of Public Realm and Infrastructure, as set out in section 1.6 of the report;

iv)            secures additional funds from SYMCA Gainshare to meet the budget shortfall on Phase 1;

v)             seeks further capital funds to deliver Phase 2 of works to High Street and Castle Square at a future date.

b)    Agrees to a recommendation being made to the Finance Sub-Committee or Strategy and Resources Policy Committee for approval to:

i)               implements a) (i)-(iv) above;

ii)              agrees a budget increase as set out in section 6 of this report; and

iii)            underwrites the shortfall in funds to delivery Phase 1 until additional funds are secured from SYMCA Gainshare and/or alternatively for this shortfall to be met from the corporate investment funds (where SYMCA Gainshare is not achieved).

iv)            agrees reallocation of GBF funds to FHSF Events Central, enhancement works at Balm Green Gardens and the Barkers Pool building as set out in section 3 of this report;

v)             agrees the reallocation of remaining Front Door Scheme funding to the FHSF public realm and infrastructure work as set out in section 1.4.2 of this report.

c)    That an update report be brought back to the committee in six months’ time.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

To ensure a first phase of transformational public realm and infrastructure works is commenced and substantially completed ahead of the DLUHC stated expenditure deadline of 31^st March 2024.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

Do Nothing – Value engineering had already been undertaken and was reflected in the cost estimates above. It is Officers view that even a much reduced scheme on Fargate alone within the approved budget would not deliver the transformational change consulted on and fail to achieve the outputs and outcomes approved by Government.

11.4.2

Do More – To deliver the full package of public realm and infrastructure works in a single phase would require a total of c£8.7m of additional funding. It was not deemed viable to secure or underwrite this amount of funding to enable a start on site in Spring 2023. Further delay risks breaching the FHSF funding deadline of 31^st March 2024, risk of construction costs increasing further, the loss of the appointed contractor with resultant reputational damage to the Council. For these reasons it was proposed that High Street and Castle Square were delivered at a future date.

11.1

The committee considered a report of the Executive Director, City Futures that updates on Sheffield’s Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) scheme that was made up of three distinct interventions, FHSF Public Realm and Infrastructure, FHSF Event Central and FHSF Front Door Scheme.

The paper provided a general update on all interventions of the scheme and highlighted the cost increases in relation to construction of the FHSF public realm and infrastructure works at Fargate, High Street and Castle Square.

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Transport, Regeneration and Climate                Policy Committee:-

a)    subject to approval by the Finance Sub-Committee or Strategy and Resources Policy Committee, agree in principle to:

i)               the prioritisation and phasing of public realm and infrastructure works with Fargate as set out in the report;

ii)              submits a project change request to DLUHC under the MoU for their approval to the proposed prioritisation, phasing and scope change to the public ream and infrastructure;

iii)            obtains DLUCH approval for a project change request before implementing the delivery of Phase 1 of Public Realm and Infrastructure, as set out in section 1.6 of the report;

iv)            secures additional funds from SYMCA Gainshare to meet the budget shortfall on Phase 1;

v)             seeks further capital funds to deliver Phase 2 of works to High Street and Castle Square at a future date.

b)    Agrees to a recommendation being made to the Finance Sub-Committee or Strategy and Resources Policy Committee for approval to:

i)               implements a) (i)-(iv) above;

ii)              agrees a budget increase as set out in section 6 of this report; and

iii)            underwrites the shortfall in funds to delivery Phase 1 until additional funds are secured from SYMCA Gainshare and/or alternatively for this shortfall to be met from the corporate investment funds (where SYMCA Gainshare is not achieved).

iv)            agrees reallocation of GBF funds to FHSF Events Central, enhancement works at Balm Green Gardens and the Barkers Pool building as set out in section 3 of this report;

v)             agrees the reallocation of remaining Front Door Scheme funding to the FHSF public realm and infrastructure work as set out in section 1.4.2 of this report.

c)    That an update report be brought back to the committee in six months’ time.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

To ensure a first phase of transformational public realm and infrastructure works is commenced and substantially completed ahead of the DLUHC stated expenditure deadline of 31^st March 2024.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

Do Nothing – Value engineering had already been undertaken and was reflected in the cost estimates above. It is Officers view that even a much reduced scheme on Fargate alone within the approved budget would not deliver the transformational change consulted on and fail to achieve the outputs and outcomes approved by Government.

11.4.2

Do More – To deliver the full package of public realm and infrastructure works in a single phase would require a total of c£8.7m of additional funding. It was not deemed viable to secure or underwrite this amount of funding to enable a start on site in Spring 2023. Further delay risks breaching the FHSF funding deadline of 31^st March 2024, risk of construction costs increasing further, the loss of the appointed contractor with resultant reputational damage to the Council. For these reasons it was proposed that High Street and Castle Square were delivered at a future date.