Agenda item

The Head of Strategic Projects introduced the report, explaining that the draft Usk and Woodside Improvement Masterplan had been jointly commissioned by MCC and Usk Town Council (UTC) in 2018, initial work beginning in 2015 relating to traffic management issues. ARUP consultancy had undertaken the work with a working group consisting of MCC Members, officers, Usk Town Council and Llanbadoc Community Council the commission. He explained there has been wide consultation through stakeholder events to bring us to the position we are in today of bringing this to you for pre-decision scrutiny. The report included details of specific projects and an improvement and action plan, which we recommend is formally adopted by MCC, as it has by the other partners involved. For MCC, it is helpful to have a wider plan with short, medium and long term goals and it enables us to own the objectives, along with Usk Town Council and Llanbadoc Community Council. He advised that having a structured plan is welcomed by national government and it helps when bidding for future funding, however, officers are not underestimating the challenge of finding funding for the delivery for some of these ambitious projects.

The chair thanked the officer for the concise outline of the report and invited members:

Member Questions:

·         With structural funds disappearing, how quickly can we expect new funding streams to enable us to progress?

Depends on which projects we take forward. Active travel funding could cover public realm and transport projects but opportunities are quite dynamic, so if we were to consider for example the redesign of Bridge Street or Twyn Square, funding streams would be active travel and transport funding. Sometimes funding cones available at relatively short notice, so having clear plans in place and ideas, would put is in a very good position.

·         Would the old civic amenity site be a quick win, an opportunity possibly for some markets and parking? Will there be additional parking around the prison when the road has been resurfaced.

I understand bids have been received to understand it’s market value in order to determine its future, but it hasn’t currently been sold. In terms of the area by the Memorial Hall, there would hopefully be provision there but there are draining issues to address.

·         In terms of parking, can I just clarify what we would be envisaging people do? Are we anticipating people visiting but not by car, using public transport?

The parking strategy has been considered in the past for all towns and we may need to revisit this as a whole in terms of charging, but also determining how the car park is used. It’s been an ongoing problem to balance the needs of residents and those visiting for leisure or work and is likely to need to be undertaken at some point to determine what is right for each town.

·         How would you differentiate between regeneration projects and public realm projects?

The lines between the two are rather blurred, as are the funding streams, but there are other regeneration funds that we could possibly access in the future as the situation is constantly changing in terms of funding, as Welsh Government priorities evolve. Sometimes we have to use multiple funding streams for a single project which can be challenging.

·         Also how are you and partners going to manage expectations because the plan is very aspirational.

This is a chicken and egg situation because if you haven’t got clear plans in place, you cannot access funding, but having plans in place does raise expectations. So we will look at truing to find projects that are ready and can be delivered in a timely way when funding becomes available. There are various funding streams within town regeneration and there is a also matched funding for development and strategic projects that can help with design work and feasibility projects.  There are projects that we can look at but the funding situation is fluid, so we recognise managing expectations is a challenge for the steering group.

·         From a local perspective, what is the priority here? To increase parking or to pedestrianise Bridge Street? I just wondered what the priorities are and are those planned for?

It is difficult, but at the moment, parking would tend to be the greater priority because pedestrianisation of Bridge Street is not currently feasible, without a wider public transport network. A bypass if it was ever to be agreed would be many years in the future.

·         I’d like to raise a few points:

-     The lack of enforcement of car parking regulations

-       There is a need for a very good clean up of the area

-       I conducted a survey of residents a few years ago which had a 60% response rate in which people raised traffic issues and access considerations in Woodside and I sent this to the Highways Department but didn’t receive any feedback.

-       In terms of Maryport Street Car Park, there are many different accesses and these all reduce car parking numbers.

-       Please can you put more disabled parking adjacent to the surgery?

·         The question around what the priorities are for Usk is important, in terms of what we want Usk’s offer to be. The plan is helpful in setting our priorities and having projects that are ready as and when future funding becomes available.

Chair’s Conclusion:

We welcome this report and recognise the importance of having this plan in place to capitalise on future funding opportunities. The committee unanimously endorses the report and its recommendations.