Mansfield Mayor speaks out on Future High Street fund plans and deficit concerns

Along with the government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), MP Ben Bradley, the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, Nottingham Trent University, West Notts College, Nottinghamshire County Council and public consultations, the FHSF plan has now finally been submitted.

The vision includes some ambitious plans to bring the town centre back to life, including environmentally-friendly dwellings and re-imagining the the market place to increase dwell time.

However the extent of the council’s ambitions are very much dependent on funding.

The Mayor explains: “In line with my manifesto pledge, the plan is to regenerate the town centre – to give our residents and visitors a reason to come to the town, stay here and have a great experience.

“We want to make the market place into a central space where lots of events and attractions can be put on and draw in the crowds into a continental plaza type square.

“We need to improve the connectivity to the town by having a better offer for public transport and upgrading numerous vacant properties to attract a different type of retail that you cannot necessarily get online.”

They are also looking to introduce student accommodation in line with an ambitious five year plan with Nottingham Trent University, to work towards Mansfield becoming a university town.

The aim of the plans are to cover all bases with a mixture of schemes that address the needs of older residents, young people, families and attract tourists, to encourage more retailers to come to town.

Ben Bradley MP said: ‘’It has been a real pleasure working with officers at Mansfield District Council to be able to make a case for investment, and to secure the maximum possible funding for regeneration.

“I’m pleased to have been able to help secure the cash initially, to have raised ideas that appear in the bid and also to be able to run it past ministers before submission to ensure that we have submitted the very best possible proposal.”

The Mayor did, however, go on to express his concerns that funding may not be as forthcoming as he first hoped.

His first concern is around the phrase ‘up to £25 million’ which has been widely used when discussing the FHSF, with some concerns that final funds made available may be much less than this, which would make some of the plans very difficult to achieve.

He also has concerns which he has raised regarding funding during coronavirus, with a shortfall of more than £3 million already accrued to date - something which is making future planning very difficult.

The Mayor continued: “I have raised my concerns with Ben Bradley and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) over Mansfield’s funding shortfalls.

“Whilst I am so proud of the job our district council has done implementing government policy and looking after our vulnerable residents, I am disappointed that the government have not by a long way, kept their much publicised promise to ‘stand behind councils in the fight against the coronavirus, whatever it takes’.

“So far we have received £1.15 million but expenditure and loss of income amounts to £4.35 million, leaving us with a large shortfall.

“The second issue I have raised with our MP and with the MHCLG is the question of why we are only to receive £250,000 to assist us in paying for the permanent repair works to the Berry Hill land slip.

“It is well documented that this land slip occurred due to climatic conditions during October and could not have been anticipated.

“We have worked consistently with Ben Bradley and Robert Jenrick, supplying information to request financial support and we were encouraged by reassurances when the Prime Minister on November 8 visited the flood-damaged sites in Derbyshire, and pledged that there will be government finance and support available to deal with these situations. Ben has also stated he would ‘make sure we are getting cash from government and make the quarry face safe for the long term’.

“So when we only received a promise of a 7 per cent contribution, leaving the council with a £3.4 million shortfall, we are now left with £6.4 million worth of cuts to balance our budget, which could have a devastating effect on services.”

Speaking about the funding challenges being faced, Ben Bradley said: “I’ve worked really positively and constructively with officers at MDC and other authorities over the course of the coronavirus challenge, and done everything in my power to make a case to government that fits with our local priorities.

“Together we’ve succeeded in securing some great funding and opportunities, including the FHSF.”

A spokesperson from MHCLG said: “We are grateful to everyone at Mansfield District Council for all their hard work to support their community during this national emergency and we are backing the town as they respond and recover.

“The council has received more than £1.15 million of emergency funding to deal with the immediate pressures they have told us they are facing, while its core spending power rose by £340,000 this financial year even before additional emergency funding was announced.”