A new town board is being established to supervise the allocation of £20 million among Sutton Coldfield’s
The Minister for Levelling Up has confirmed that the town council, not the city council, will oversee the administration of a £20 million government grant intended to develop Sutton Coldfield. The nomination of a new town board, which will decide how the funds are used for projects in the town over the following ten years, will be supervised by the Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council.
Twenty towns throughout the United Kingdom, including Sutton, received financial awards as part of the most recent phase of the Long-Term Plan for Towns levelling up project. Approximately fifty-five towns were first chosen in September of last year, along with four areas in the Black Country: Bilston, Dudley, Darlaston, and Smethwick.
The intention is to give locals control over the funds so they can determine how they are used and
At first, it was unclear who would be in charge of the fund—the town council of Sutton or Birmingham City Council. However, the minister for Levelling Up, Jacob Young MP, confirmed in a letter to Olive O’Sullivan, the CEO of the town council, that the town council will be “responsible for day-to-day delivery and governance” of the initiative.
Effective parish and town councils have a great history of supporting the growth of the communities they represent and staying in close contact with them, according to Mr. Young. I am aware that talks about the Town Council receiving some of this program’s authority from Birmingham City Council are still going on.
“I have decided that the Birmingham City Council should not formally participate in the program’s governance, given the current state of affairs at the council. Royal Sutton Coldfield has a great chance here, and I’m looking forward to collaborating closely with you and the Town Board as you create your long-term strategy.
The town council has been given little over seven weeks, until July 1st, to form the Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Board. The town’s Member of Parliament, Andrew Mitchell, two town and city council members, a senior police official, and community partners from volunteerism, faith-based organisations, neighbourhood forums, and youth organisations will all be there.
Representatives from social enterprises and local businesses should also be present. but won’t be presided over by a politician; the chairperson must be a non-politician.
The board’s next task will be to develop a “long term, 10-year plan” that will specify how the funds should be allocated to the town’s top objectives. This might include anything from main streets, heritage, redevelopment, and safety and security to transit and connectivity.
Creating jobs and luring in foreign investment are also goals. £50,000 will be provided initially to “support the convening of your Town Board.” It is recommended that local authorities be “engaged throughout the development of the plan.” However, that is up to the board to decide.
“This is a community-led initiative,” Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council Leader Cllr. Simon Ward (Four Oaks, Cons.) said to BirminghamLive. A non-political chairman is leading the town fund board that we are putting together. They’ll be a well-known local personality.
“It’s long-term funding to make various improvements to the town.” The board’s first task will be to create a plan outlining how this endowment funding will be used.
When asked how the town fund would be used, Cllr. Ward responded, “I would urge Birmingham City Council to work as part of the town board, that is delivering the town fund,” pointing out that the town council has millions in the bank that it has struggled to spend since the town fund’s establishment in 2016.
This implies that in order to deliver it for the town’s benefit, all stakeholders must be prepared to collaborate. Working with Birmingham City Council has presented some difficulties for us. I sincerely hope that we can work for the good of the Sutton Coldfield community, in part because of their financial struggles.
“We are asking for people to be put forward for the board,” he continued. Please refer to the ‘who can be on the town board’ section for more information about eligibility. To become engaged or to suggest someone for the new town board, send an email to Olive O’Sullivan at olive.osullivan@suttoncoldfieldtowncouncil.gov.uk.
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