Agenda item

Verbal Update of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

(Note: Ian Lane, Head of Operational Projects for the Canal and Rivers Trust, has been invited to attend the meeting)

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received an update on the work being done at the Canal and Canal Basin to prepare for City of Culture in 2021. The Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration and Nick Cleaver from the Canal and River Trust attended the meeting for consideration of this matter.

At their meeting on 15th May 2018, the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) approved the recommendations of the Canal and Basin Task and Finish Group (minute 50/18 refers). The Canal and Rivers Trust provided a briefing, attached as an Appendix to the briefing note, on work they had been doing in Coventry and preparations for City of Culture 2021.

Following the announcement that the City of Culture would be in Coventry and the identification by the Canal & River Trust that Coventry was a key strategic location, a Community Roots project had been implemented in the area to improve the canal environment and help it reach its full potential and work alongside the Scrutiny Board’s Task & Finish Group.

The project, that took the form of three phases, was now ending its first year and had achieved the following progress:

Phase1

•  Identification of the communities living on and around the canal and any issues for the community and Canal and River Trust concerning the canals in the project area, were profiled. 

•  Key partners with wider community links who could be approached were identified and engaged.

•  A series of activities were organised. Further discussions and meetings could be held in order to prioritise actions for the remainder of the project.

Phase 2

•  “Taster” activity days could be organised to give groups a flavour of the kind of activity that would help Canal and River Trust.

•  Discussions and planning concerning other sympathetic enhancements to the canal environment were carried out and planning begun.

•  Other groups could be developed to help with further engagement activities such as running their own events on the canal or helping Canal and River Trust plan and deliver events such as Heritage Week or environmental surveys or boating experiences for the wider public.

•  Some groups may adopt sections of the canal.

Phase 3

•  Canal adoption groups and other volunteer groups introduced to existing waterway volunteer lead staff and decisions taken about groups most likely to continue and those not likely to continue after the end of the project.

•  Waterway staff continued the logistical support and planning and running of volunteering activity by sustainable groups.

•  Further activity developed by groups themselves with help from waterway staff.

By year three the bulk of the engagement work should be done and a legacy developed that could be sustained for as long as possible by existing waterway volunteer lead staff. Community Roots did not exist as a standalone entity but from the engagement officer and other staff were embedded within the regional team. In this way the regional team could become familiar with project staff and volunteers and the aim of the project.

Over the past 9 months several groups and agencies had been engaged with either at events or giving presentations and talks or at meetings. These ranged from Local Authority Departments, major events teams, local resident’s groups and faith groups. The briefing note provided details of the groups that had been engaged with and the engagements activities to date, together with planned canal and community engagement events. This activity would continue as more partners who could support the regeneration of Coventry canal were identified.

Considerable effort had begun by volunteer groups to improve the canal corridor itself. This was in its infancy, but already significant improvements had been recorded and good feedback given about improvements so far.

In the immediate future several further improvements were planned: signage in basin and at Hawksbury Junction replaced; banners advertising Canal and River Trust and businesses in the Canal Basin to be installed on lamp posts; towpath task force to continue access clean ups and begin work with other volunteer groups on offside litter clearance; and dredging planned for Coventry Canal.

Good progress had been made on engaging with relevant agencies, partners and local communities and this effort was ongoing with new contacts being made each month. Several volunteers had already begun working and significant improvements had been achieved. A programme of events to increase footfall to the basin and use of the canal corridor was well into its planning. Further improvements would be made to the environment and the built environment alongside the canal. Work was underway with partners to try and develop the basin as a destination. The Canal and River Trust was focused on the basin and the 5.5 miles of canal corridor and all local teams were involved in delivering improvement and creating a vibrant, well used and well maintained canal corridor for Coventry.

The Board questioned officers and discussed the following issues:

·  The installation of artwork at the Canal Basin

·  The location of and arrangements for emptying litter bins, including big belly bins

·  Publicising and promoting features, events and facilities to maximise interest and footfall – Newspaper, Facebook, Radio

·  Canal dredging and magnetic fishing – undertaken by professionals to ensure task is undertaken correctly and safely

·  Commercial traffic on the canal limited  - consideration of future use of the canal for river taxis, boat trips, etc

·  Engagement of further community groups e.g. temples and churches

·  Habitat creation for wildlife in the area

·  Selection of appropriate tenants to encourage regular visitors and to maximise benefits for the Canal

·  Promotion of the 5 ½ miles canal tow path as a cycle route

·  Continuation of improvement work with volunteers, interested groups and canal users – litter picking, cleaning, attractions and events

·  Including the Canal and Canal Basin in the marketing of the city

·  Involvement of university architecture students in design projects which include a micro-brewery, dance and exercise venue,and artists studio for residents

Members of the Board acknowledged the valuable contribution that the Canal and Canal Basin Task and Finish Group had made to facilitate improvements to and the better use of the Canal and Canal Basin. The Board agreed that the Canal and River Trust be asked to establish a Friends Steering Group for the co-ordination of the improvements at the Coventry Canal, Canal Basin and Tow Path, and that local residents, Members of the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) and the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration be invited to participate in the Group.

The Board asked that their thanks be conveyed to those concerned for the substantial work undertaken and is on-going at the Canal and Canal Basin.

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3):

1)  Notes the information in the briefing note from the Canal and Rivers Trust on the progress made on the work undertaken at the Canal and Canal Basin. 

2)  Agrees the following recommendations for the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration:

i)  The Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration be requested to give consideration to the selection of appropriate tenants for Council owned property to ensure benefits for the Canal Basin are maximised.

ii)  The Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration be requested to help facilitate, with the Chair of the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) and the Canals and Rivers Trust, the establishment of a ‘Friends of Coventry Canal/Basin Group’.

3)  Agrees to receive progress updates on the work at the Canal and Canal Basin in due course.