Agenda item

The Leader of the Council introduced the report and stated that Group Leaders and the Town Centre Users Group had been consulted on the developing Town Centre Strategy (the Strategy). A draft Strategy was not yet ready for public consultation, as further evidence and data was required to support the Strategy’s development. The Committee was asked to consider the proposed ‘Next Steps’ within section 3 of the report, with the Leader stating that he thought the transport and movement review should be realistic, as opposed to a wide-ranging review of the urban traffic control system. 

The Committee raised a number of points on the Strategy’s aims and contents, and in response the Leader stated that: 

·  The Lighting and Greening Strategy reports would be presented in January 2024, and were being supported by time-limited UK Shared Prosperity Funding. Additional funding could be provided by allocating the funds designated for Creative Maker Spaces should it not be needed after further research and/or was not ready;

·  A comprehensive review of town centre parking was expected, and would include assessing the viability of building properties with and without parking facilities and the impact of future technology alongside parallel streams of work such as the Integrated Transport Strategy Review;

·  The Residents Survey questions looked to increase the Council’s understanding of rural residents’ visits to the town centre, with the town centre needing something different to increase visitor demand to the area. As an example, the Leisure and Hospitality offering was changing, with further research required.

·  The demand for retail space was reducing, with the Council to consider options in response. It was stated that sites such as Bluewater were popular as they acted to serve the demand for the wider area, with a good transport system in place to support visitors in return; and

·  Actions were being taken to improve town centre safety, including through local policing and One Maidstone. As a district authority, the Council was not able to intervene in the provision of police and health services but could act on aspects such as lighting and encouraging partner organisations to improve their service provision. It was important to talk about the positive aspects of the borough.

In response to the comments made, the Chief Executive stated that:

·  The car parking strategy review would require a fundamental review of how the Council manages demand and supply and would involve a range of stakeholders to include residential and business parking;

·  There was demand for a Creative Maker Space, with further research required into its placement and if and how the Council would promote the activity. There was a direct line of communication between the Council and Kent County Council on the matter;

·  The ‘Next Steps’ suggested would include obtaining contemporary data to support the Council in looking ahead as part of the Strategy, and define what success would look like. Engagement from Members was important, with Members being community leaders;

·  The council had worked closely with Kent Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner, having secured funding to support community safety initiatives which had led to significant improvements, although work would continue. A Crime Survey was conducted every few years, which directed the resources available to tackle the issues present;

·  Members would be consulted on creating high quality town centre living, which would include discussing what they wished to achieve and what was viable, supported by case studies;

·  Strategy and policy had a role in place making, with the example given of Jubilee Square whereby the Council’s intervention had contributed to the site’s regeneration and resilience following Covid-19, to highlight the role the Council would have;

·  Members had a role in promoting the positive aspects of Maidstone, through being Community Leaders.

During the discussion the Leader and the Chief Executive emphasised the Strategy’s longevity in considering what actions to take, the level of appetite the Council should show in supporting and promoting change and the need to diversify the town centre’s offering to maximise its viability into the future. The Head of Spatial Planning and Economic Development confirmed that an engagement strategy would be developed, to engage with Members and the Community across different age groups to obtain as many views as possible in drafting the Strategy to 2050.

Several Committee Members expressed concerns that whilst ambitious and aspirational, the report did not outline how the Council would achieve the ambitions set out and that the Strategy may not be achievable overall. References were made to matters such as maximising the river and improving community and traffic infrastructure as examples. Overall, support was expressed for recommending that the Cabinet approve the next steps of the Strategy’s development.

RESOLVED to RECOMMEND to the CABINET: That

1.  The update report be noted; and

2.  The next steps set out in Section 3 of the Report for the development of the Maidstone Town Centre Strategy, be approved.

Note: Councillor Grigg requested that her dissent with recommendation 1 be noted.