Purpose

Cabinet is
recommended to note:
 
·        
The successful outcome from the
Council’s Levelling Up Fund bid for Chingford Mount and
Highams Park which will be delivered
through the Government’s Capital Regeneration Projects
programme
·        
The grant agreement with Government,
including governance, reporting and
monitoring arrangements
·        
Overview of the delivery programme,
progress and engagement
 

Content

Cabinet:

(1)           
noted the successful outcome of the Council’s Levelling
Up Fund bid for Chingford Mount and Highams Park, which will be delivered through the
Government’s Capital Regeneration Projects programme;

(2)           
noted and endorsed the overview of the programme for taking forward
delivery of the Levelling Up funded projects; and

(3)           
noted the progress with the governance and administration processes
established with the Government and within the Council to oversee
delivery of this programme.

 

OPTIONS & ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

The Council considered whether to prioritise the investment
projects in the Child-Friendly Chingford bid for submission to the
Levelling Up Fund. This involved assessing the projects against the
Council’s corporate priorities, the Government’s
funding criteria, public support and need, and deliverability
within the timescales for utilising the funding.

Council and community-led engagement, as well as continued analysis
of key performance indicators, over several years has identified
the desire and need for improvements to and investment in Chingford
Mount and Highams Park town centres and
the area’s parks and open spaces.

The Child-Friendly Chingford bid provided the opportunity to draw
this all together into a coherent and comprehensive submission,
centred on co-creation and cross-generational benefits, including
improvements to community cohesion, community safety, participation
and health, as well as town centre competitiveness and local
economic growth.

The Council now can inject significant investment into the two town
centres’ public realm, parks, play and sports facilities, as
well as the connections between each of these spaces, enhancing
their appearance, use, perception and safety through the day and
evening.

The Council will continue to explore opportunities to secure
funding for projects that did not secure Levelling Up Funding in
Round 2, including through the envisaged third and final round of
LUF. This includes opportunities to fund further investment in the
south of Waltham Forest alongside the funding secured with TfL for
Leyton underground station.