Contact: Chris Williams, ext 6720

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That approval be given to the Hampshire Country Towns Initiative programmes for 2002/03 and 2003/04 as follows:

2002/03

Hythe Promenade £150,000

Church Place, Romsey £100,000

2003/04

Market Place, Romsey £100,000

Church Place, Romsey £100,000

Supplementary Schemes £50,000

2. Reason

2.1 In order to implement the approved Hampshire Country Towns Initiative programme, the distribution of funds across competing project headings is set out for approval.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Alternative options to the allocations between projects have been considered, having regard to their likely scale and timing, but rejected in order to maintain a balance between competing interests.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. Introduction

7.1 This report considers the Hampshire Country Towns Initiative capital budget for 2002/03 and how this budget could be allocated. It also considers the programme for 2003/04 and, subject to the availability of finance, proposes how that programme could be directed. The current budget figures have been derived from the distribution of funds across the Environmental Improvement Programme approved by the Executive Member for Environment on 15 April 2002.

8. Hampshire Country Towns Initiative Programme 2002/03 and 2003/04

8.1 On 26 June 2000 the following three year programme was approved:

(i) Petersfield 2001/02, currently under way;

(ii) Hythe Promenade 2002/03; and

(iii) Romsey Town Centre 2003/04.

8.2 The improvement of Hythe Promenade integrates with the approved Local Transport Plan (LTP) package of proposals for Hythe ferry terminal area. New Forest District Council is expected to make a significant contribution to the scheme and feasibility work has already started.

8.3 Proposed improvement works to Romsey town centre focus on the Market Place and Church Place, linked to the current LTP proposals for highways and environmental improvements in the town centre. Both schemes conform to Initiative criteria and objectives and it is proposed that funding is shared between both schemes, which are at a preliminary design stage. The expected scale of the Church Place scheme would justify funding phased over two financial years.

8.4 The improved budget allocation this year for the Hampshire Country Towns Initiative allows the opportunity to respond flexibly to the possibilities for additional, supplementary schemes in future years. These may be created in a number of ways, including through the County Council's own activities relating to highways improvements, traffic calming and the corporate estate, or through the activities of district councils. In particular, there is the opportunity to link directly with the County Council's Market Towns Initiative, promoted by the Head of Economic Development. This programme works directly with local communities to identify opportunities for improvements in rural towns. These schemes may be quite modest in size. Strong community involvement will help ensure their long term sustainability and the Hampshire Country Towns Initiative has a role to play in helping pump-prime such environmental improvement schemes where these accord with its objectives.

8.5 It is proposed, therefore, to identify a sum in future programmes to respond to these opportunities and also to support the Market Towns Initiative programme. In view of the long lead-in time required to identify and bring even small such schemes to fruition, 2003/04 is the earliest budget year recommended for this element to be included.

8.6 The budget for 2002/03 is £250,000. Assuming a similar level of expenditure in 2003/04, the following table sets out the distribution of funds between proposed schemes:

2002/03 £'000

Hythe Promenade 150

Romsey, Church Place 100

Total 250

2003/04 £'000

Romsey, Market Place 100

Romsey, Church Place 100

Supplementary Schemes 50

Total 250

9. Roll Forward of Programme

9.1 In view of the technical complexity of schemes, the need to secure external funding and the time consuming need for community involvement, it is important to ensure that schemes are identified well in advance. The current programme is a three year rolling programme and this has proved successful. It is important to identify a sufficient number of candidate schemes to allow for slippage or abandonment of any particular scheme without losing the momentum of the overall programme.

9.2 The current programme runs to 2003/04 and it is proposed that a future report be brought forward indicating opportunities for 2004/05.

7136/CW