Agenda item

Report of Councillor J McNicholas, Chair of the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3).

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that set out the recommendations from the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) – Canal Basin Task and Finish Group that had been established to  facilitate improvements to and better use of the Canal and Canal Basin.

The Council held a 99 year long leasehold interest from 1^st February 1995 in the Canal Basin, St Nicholas Street from the Canal and River Trust under the terms of two head leases both dated 20^th January 1999 and in turn was responsible for the day to day management and operation of the Canal Basin.  

At their meeting on 20^th September 2017 (their minute 17/17 referred), following a referral from Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) considered an item on the Canal and Canal Basin. Members heard from representatives of the Coventry Canal Society, the Coventry Canal Basin Trust and The Tin Music and Arts (based at Workshops 1-4 Canal Basin). At that meeting it was resolved that the Board request that a Task and Finish Group be arranged to facilitate improvements to and better use of the Canal and Canal Basin.

The Task and Finish Group met with stakeholders and Cabinet Members and visited the Canal Basin and the Canal, this enabled them to identify recommendations which were accepted by the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) at their meeting on 15^th May 2018 (their minute 50/17 referred) for consideration by Cabinet.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet agrees the recommendations of the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) that:

1)  Coventry City Council work closely with the Canal and River Trust to review the use of the Canal and Canal Basin to create a clear vision and aspiration for the increased use of the Canal and Canal Basin in Coventry.

a)  The review should recognise the cultural and heritage contribution the canal has and can in future make to the City.

b)  The review should maximise the public health potential and contribution the area makes as a lung of the City, which is recognised as part of the Council’s Green Space Strategy.

c)  The review should assess the current use of all of the buildings at the Canal Basin to ensure that they are appropriate to the renewed vision and aspiration for the Canal and Canal Basin in Coventry.

d)  The review should involve all partners and organisations with an interest in the Canal and Canal Basin.

e)  The review should consider transport connectivity between the Canal Basin and the City Centre.

2)  Cabinet Members should meet with representatives of the universities, and other health and sports related organisations in the City to maximise the contribution to improved health outcomes the Canal can make.

3)  Coventry City Council consider “quick wins”, such as changing the long stay car park at Leicester Row to a short stay, improved signage to the Canal Basin, improved lighting, and the removal of the wall at the entrance to the Canal Basin on the junction of St. Nicholas St and Leicester Row, to improve ease of access.

4)  Coventry City Council work closely with the Canal and River Trust to address issues of cleanliness and maintenance, as well as formally recognising the contribution made by the Coventry Canal Society to this work.

5)  Coventry City Council support the Canal and River Trust in getting local businesses located on the Canal side involved to support the work in increasing the use of the canal and the Canal Basin.

6)  Coventry City Council formally recognise the appointment of an Elected Member to the West Midlands Canal and River Trust Board of Trustees.