Business Meeting

BEXHILL ROTARIANS LEARN ABOUT LEVELLING UP

Bexhill Rotarians were treated at their meeting on 2nd April to a talk about the Levelling Up funds that Bexhill as a town is going receive from guest speaker, Dr Anne Rathbone (pictured), who is the Levelling Up Partnership Manager at Rother District Council.

In a fascinating presentation Anne described the several different funds that we in the town will be hearing about. These funds come through the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The main funds are:

1. The Levelling Up Fund granted funding to the De La Warr Pavilion and Sidley for building improvements and a community centre in Sidley.
   
2. The Levelling Up Partnership projects funding was reported in social media and local press recently. This is for a range of projects in organisations, support for business development and tourism.
   
3. ‘Long Term Plans for Towns’ is a 10 year funding scheme of up to £19 million for Bexhill, but what this is actually spent on will be decided by a Town Board consisting of the local MP, and representatives of the County, District and Town Councils, the Police & Crime Commissioner/Sussex Police, the health sector, and the education sector.

Anne went on to say that the DLUHC aim for the Long Term Plan for Towns is to support improvements in three main themes – Safety & Security, High Streets and Heritage and Regeneration, and Transport & Connectivity. Total capital funding provisionally allocated to Bexhill amounts to £14,936,000 over the 10 years on an endowment basis. Bexhill Town Board will be responsible for making decisions on a 10 year vision and the first 3 year investment plan by 1st August this year. Rother District Council will be the accountable body for the funding responsible to DLUHC for legal and finance compliance, and managing the finances and contracts as decided by the Town Board.

Anne finished by answering a wealth of questions which certainly showed that the Rotarians were truly absorbed by this subject and how it will benefit Bexhill. This was followed by a vote of thanks from Bexhill Rotary’s President James Slinn.