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Torquay Towns Fund

Find out more about the innovative regeneration plans that will help to build a prosperous future Torquay Town.

In September 2019, the government announced a new multi-million-pound Towns Fund.

Torquay was one of 101 towns invited to develop regeneration plans to help to build a prosperous future for the town.

We found out in October 2020 that Torquay would get an investment of £21.9million from the Towns Fund.

Aims of the Towns Fund

The aim of the Fund is to drive the economic regeneration of towns to deliver long term economic and productivity growth through:

Urban regeneration, planning and land use

Ensuring towns are thriving places for people to live and work, including by:

  • Increasing density in town centres
  • Strengthening local economic assets including local cultural assets
  • Site acquisition, remediation, preparation, regeneration
  • Making full use of planning tools to bring strategic direction and change

Skills and enterprise infrastructure

Driving private sector investment. Ensuring towns have the space to support skills and small business development.

Connectivity

Developing local transport schemes that complement regional and national networks. Supporting the delivery of improved digital connectivity.

How we prepared for a Town Deal

We created a Town Board to oversee the writing of a Town Investment Plan. The plan was the basis for the Town Deal and helped us to develop detailed business cases for the projects.

Each project within the Town Investment Plan aims to:

  • Drive forward a better experience in the town centre
  • Provide a better mix of uses
  • Create a place where people enjoy spending their time

Through the Town Deal and Town Investment Plan, we will deliver outcomes which include:

  • More private and other public sector investment
  • More business start-ups, business success and young entrepreneurs
  • New jobs
  • Increasing the number of people living in the town centre
  • An improved cultural and tourism offer
  • Improved health outcomes
  • Reduced town centre antisocial behaviour
  • Less benefit dependency, inequality and disadvantage

Read the Torquay Town Investment Plan

Torquay Town Deal Board

The Board manages the vision and strategy for the town.

Set up in 2020, the principal role of the Board is to be the vehicle through which the vision and strategy for the town is defined. It was originally set up to:

  • Develop and agree on a Town Investment Plan
  • Develop a clear programme of actions
  • Coordinate resources
  • Influence stakeholders

As we are now in the delivery phase of our Town Deal projects the main purpose of the Town Deal Board is to:

  • Lead the development of the Town Investment Plan.
  • Make decisions on the investment plan and the prioritisation of projects in support of the Board’s objectives.
  • Work with the Council to ensure that good governance standards are met.
  • Directing the Programme Management Office (PMO) who are the executive for programme management.
  • Receiving reports on financial progress, programme and outputs. Preparing monitoring reports for government.
  • Commissioning research to create an evidence base to support project selection and prioritisation.
  • Commissioning evaluation reports to measure programme and project effectiveness. This will inform revisions to the SEP and Business Plan.
  • Keeping the Assurance Framework under review. Adapting to meet the requirements of new funding programmes.

The Board is made up of voting members drawn from the local community. This is in line with the requirements of the prospectus and the non-voting members of the Council’s programme delivery team. The expectation is that the Board will reach decisions by consensus where votes are required. However, each voting member will have one vote, with the Chairman having the casting vote in the event of a tie. The quorum is 6 voting members. This includes the Chair or Vice Chair and a representative of the Council as lead authority.

All members are expected to:

Board members will also maintain an up-to-date register of interests.

Board Members

Support and administration

The secretariat for the Board is provided by Council officers who will attend meetings but not have a vote.

Read the Board meeting minutes

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