The Conservative-led administration of North East Lincolnshire Council will continue to work hard to bring about improvements throughout the borough.
Speaking at Grimsby Town Hall this evening, Councillor Philip Jackson said much has happened since his last Leader’s Statement at the last full council meeting in March, not least the local elections and a subsequent by-election triggered by the resignation of a Labour member.
“We gained a total of nine seats,” he told the chamber. “While we were undoubtedly helped by the popularity nationally of the Conservatives, we did disproportionately well here in North East Lincolnshire and, indeed, Labour lost every seat they fought.
“We fought the elections on a manifesto that built on the previous one from 2019. On the doorstep, it was clear that people supported what we’d been doing during our first two years in administration and the pledges we were making. We will continue to work hard to meet our manifesto commitments and bring about the improvements across the borough that we all want to see.”
Councillor Jackson highlighted the “major impact, both nationally and locally” that Covid-19 continues to have, particularly the Delta variant’s spread, paying tribute to the council’s workforce for continuing to deliver public services, and everyone involved in the vaccination take-up programme.
“Recovery from the pandemic will not be a quick fix,” he said. “Analysis so far confirms that the health inequality gap throughout the borough remains a significant challenge.
“This administration’s approach to regeneration, growth, skills, housing, and tourism is central to supporting a strong recovery that benefits local people, local communities and local businesses. The commitment remains to work in partnership, across the public, private and voluntary sectors to take the area forward.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Jackson confirmed that a Levelling Up White Paper will be published in the Autumn, setting out the Government’s approach to devolution and investment in the future growth of the 70 per cent of the country that does not yet operate under any form of devolution.
“This will include proposals for so called County Deals,” he said, “which my administration will be keenly interested in exploring in the context of our drive to increase partnership and collaboration on a Greater Lincolnshire footprint. In parallel, the importance of the Humber and its economic significance will remain a major part of our continued focus.
“This council’s Freeport Accountable Body status is a clear example of our Humber commitment, as well as our drive to maximise the huge strategic growth opportunity that is the green decarbonisation agenda.
“Following Government agreement in principle earlier this year, the outline business case for the Humber Freeport project has been signed off for submission this week. This promises to catalyse significant new investment, business, and jobs around the Humber, including in the Ports of Grimsby and Immingham and surrounding employment zones.
“Indeed, the bid includes a £15-million element for seed capital projects to help unlock the benefits of inward investment across the Stallingborough Enterprise Zones.”
“Enquiries from industry and businesses interested in our employment zones around Grimsby, Stallingborough and Immingham remain buoyant,” Councillor Jackson continued.
“Recent high-profile announcements include a huge new cold store facility planned for Europarc, and Myenergi about to open their new headquarters on Pioneer Business Park. This rapidly growing local company already has further expansion plans. The offshore wind sector continues its inexorable growth, with increasing numbers of wind turbines operated and maintained from the Port of Grimsby.
“Last month, Cabinet approved the submission of a £50-million Levelling Up Fund bid for strategic transport schemes; £36-million of that was for the Grimsby West Relief Road, which could open up land for the Grimsby West housing development of up to 3,500 homes and associated community facilities.
“As we heard from the public questions earlier this evening, this outline proposal is proving controversial, but we welcome public engagement. It will be the autumn before we hear if our funding bid has been successful, enabling us to proceed to the next stage.
“Just a reminder that this road and housing development featured as part of the Local Plan adopted by this Council in March 2018. The decision was unanimous and many of you sitting in the Town Hall this evening voted in favour, including the leaders of the three political parties.
“The title of our adopted Local Plan is Planning For Growth. It’s an ambitious plan for a better future for North East Lincolnshire and I’m sure we all continue to share that aim.”
Councillor Jackson went on to thank everyone involved in the inaugural Festival of the Sea, the first major public event held in the recently refurbished St James’s Square, Grimsby.
“Improvements continue in Grimsby town centre,” he said. “The square is open, and it looks superb. This grant-funded festival was the brainchild of this administration. We wanted to bring major events back to the centre of Grimsby and what could be better than a festival to showcase Grimsby’s maritime heritage and our seafood sector.
“I would like to thank everyone involved in organising a very successful event. Covid restrictions meant it was not as ambitious as we would have liked, but it provided firm foundations on which to build in future years.
“At Garth Lane, the new, attractive bridge over the River Freshney is open and has been well received. It certainly improves connectivity in the town centre, though some of the waterside environmental works have yet to be completed.
“Following submission of revised plans, Government has confirmed the awarding of £17.3-million of Future High Streets Funding for the exciting redevelopment and repurposing of the western end of Freshney Place, in partnership with the shopping centre’s owners. We are currently in the process of procuring an external professional delivery team who will provide the expertise and capacity to enable the project to be delivered as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.
“Following consultation with scrutiny, Cabinet has agreed the allocation of the £21-million of Towns Fund grant monies between six outline town centre projects. The next stage is the preparation of the associated full business cases, which must be finalised by March next year.
“Under this administration, improvements in Grimsby town centre are moving apace, with more to come!”
Councillor Jackson then moved onto Cleethorpes. “It’s over two years since Suggitt’s Lane crossing was closed by Network Rail, robbing local residents of easy access to the North Prom and adversely affecting local businesses,” he said.
“Despite robust efforts by the local community, this council and the Member of Parliament, it became apparent that it would never reopen. Following lengthy negotiations and the intervention of the Prime Minister himself, we have at last secured the capital funding from Government and Network Rail for a new bridge over the railway like.
“The scheme was approved by the Planning Committee a couple of months ago and work has now started with completion expected by the end of the year.
“Moving now to health and care. We are being acknowledged regionally and beyond as leading the way with our health and care partners in responding to the Government’s White Paper on integrated care, building on the strong track record of local government and NHS partnership working in North East Lincolnshire.
“Cabinet recently approved a comprehensive proposition and model that, if fully implemented, will see the council effectively hosting our health and care system, maintaining a place focus and weaving key statutory responsibilities (public health, children’s services and adult social care) into the governance of the borough’s health and care arrangements.
“This is vitally important particularly in the context of Covid recovery and, with our partners, tackling the wider determinants of health over the medium and longer term.”
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