The Special Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet to discuss neighbourhood funding and the progress of the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) town centre projects. The meeting will also include a chair's update and a review of the minutes from the previous meeting.

Town Centre Levelling Up Project Progress

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the council's Levelling Up funded town centre projects. According to the Public Reports Pack, the Levelling Up Fund was announced at the 2020 Government Spending Review to focus on capital investment in local infrastructure projects requiring up to £20m of funding.

The council's LUF submission is focused on three interventions:

1. Redevelopment within the Indoor Market Hall and removal of the outdoor pavilions along Peel Street to provide an enhanced food and drink offering alongside traditional market stalls and a new leisure offering.
2. Acquisition and external façade improvements/roof repairs to the properties of 43-59 Blackburn Road / 2-4 Church Street
3. Acquisition and redevelopment to the block 61-69 Blackburn Road to provide a shared workspace offering.

The report pack notes that all the relevant land interests within the Market Hall, Burtons Chambers and Market Chambers have been acquired through sale agreements.

The report pack also details the two phases of works being undertaken:

• Phase 1 included assisting market traders to decant into temporary bespoke cabins or relocate to other commercial units in the town centre, and the demolition/alteration of existing structures, including the safe removal of asbestos.
• Phase 2 will include full internal fit-out works to the Market Hall and Burtons Chambers, and external public realm works to Peel Street.

According to the report pack, the council welcomed funding officers from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to view the town centre projects on 28 August 2025. The officers said:

We are pleased with the progress made to restore the building fabric of both Market Hall and Burton Chambers, along with steps taken to accommodate displaced market traders. The completion of the CPO process for the Market Chamber is good news and gives us reassurance that this project will be delivered, as envisaged. We look forward to seeing work on the fit-out phase progressing and the Council realising their ambitions for these buildings and the wider town centre regeneration .

The report pack also notes that the council has been asked if it would consider becoming an exemplar case study to showcase the progress and lessons learnt from the project.

The report pack states that the contractor's programme shows a working assumption that the works to Burtons Chambers and the Market Hall will be completed by the end of July 2026.

The new operator for Burtons Chambers has signed the Management Agreement and set up a dedicated email address (burtonschambers@2-work.co.uk) where local businesses, entrepreneurs and residents can register an interest in taking up space in the building when it opens. The property lease for the Market Hall is still to be finalised with the council's preferred new market operator, Northern Lights Group Limited.

Plan for Neighbourhood Funding

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the plan for Neighbourhood funding awarded to Accrington and the work of the Neighbourhood Boards. The Plan for Neighbourhoods fund allocated a 10-year investment across 75 areas in the UK, with up to £20 million per place to regenerate communities, strengthen social infrastructure, and empower local decision-making. This funding will be given over a 10 year period, starting in the 2026/27 financial year.

The objectives of the funding are stated as:

• Revitalise high streets, improve public services, and enhance physical infrastructure.
• Foster social cohesion, reduce crime, and rebuild trust.
• Boost skills, employment, and local economic opportunities.

The funding is managed through a partnership between the Neighbourhood Board, the local authority, and the local community. The Neighbourhood Board is responsible for co-producing the Regeneration Plan, which constitutes a 10-year vision and 4-year investment plan.

The Board is required to have an independent Chair, who is approved by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The new Chair is Sami Smithson.

There are four mandated Board members:

• Sarah Smith MP
• Kimberley Whitehead, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
• Councillor Munsif Dad BEM JP
• County Councillor Ashley Joynes

The funding is 75% capital and 25% revenue, with the first delivery payment due in April 2026. The 10-year period is divided into three investment periods: 2026-2030, 2030-2033 and 2033-2036.

Other Items

The agenda also includes apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and approval of the minutes from the previous meeting. Councillor Kate Walsh, Chair of the Special Scrutiny Committee, is expected to provide an update.