To conduct robust Grassroots Community Engagement, to develop a Vision and Regeneration Plan for Royal Sutton Coldfield for the next decade and a detailed Investment Plan for the first 4 years

Award outcome

Description

Introduction The new prospectus for the Plan for Neighbourhoods (previously called the Town Fund) has now been published and Royal Sutton Coldfield has been awarded up to £20m (75% capital & 25% revenue) over 10 years, with the Town Council being the accountable body. The renewal required is more than just physical infrastructure, it is also about creating stronger communities, bringing people together and ensuring they see a visible improvement in their communities. This is essential to create and maintain a sense of pride in place and ensure people can meet their full potential. The evidence is clear that those places with stronger social capital have higher educational attainment, lower crime, and faster economic growth. The Plan for Neighborhoods provides the opportunity for a long-term strategy to regenerate, underpinned by plans that address demographic shift and cultural change. The Plan has 3 objectives: - • Thriving places i.e. Vibrant neighbourhoods, busy high streets, a good range of local amenities and high-quality physical infrastructure. • Stronger communities, i.e. bringing people together, providing places to meet, creating a sense of belonging and pride. • Taking back control i.e. Where people feel empowered and in control of their lives. Where children have the best start in life and adults can live the life they want to. Where there is access to the skills required for emerging job markets or supporting entrepreneurs through their first steps into self-employment. To deliver these objectives, the government has set out the need for each eligible local authority to establish new Neighbourhood Boards. Each Board, in partnership with the local authority, is required to develop a Vision and Regeneration Plan for the next 10 years, together with a more detailed Investment Plan for the first 4 years of the programme. The Regeneration Plan should outline the community`s overarching vision for change and be developed through grassroots engagement to reflect local people`s priorities. Therefore, undertaking meaningful engagement with the local community is a "central pillar" of the Plan. Requirements/Specification • This tender is to Develop a Vision, Regeneration Plan and detailed Investment Plan, based on the outcome of a robust community engagement plan, to ensure the resulting 'final draft' has been co-created and tested across the town and its people. Young people`s involvement will be crucial in laying the foundations of the Town for future generations. Context • Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield is a town and civil parish in the city of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. The town lies around 8 miles northeast of Birmingham city centre, 9 miles south of Lichfield, 7 miles southwest of Tamworth, and 7 miles east of Walsall. • Sutton Coldfield and its surrounding suburbs are governed under Birmingham City Council for local government purposes, but the town has its own town council which governs the town and its surrounding areas by running local services and electing a mayor to the council. • The Town has a population of approximately 100,000 people and compared to the wider population of Birmingham (1.2m), in general, Sutton Coldfield residents are less diverse, older, and more affluent. • Within the town boundary there are numerous exceptional green spaces including Sutton Park, with an area of 2,224.2 acres (9.001 km2), which is one of the largest urban parks in England. The park is a national nature reserve and a site of special scientific interest. • New Hall Valley, which separates Walmley and Maney, is the location of New Hall Valley Country Park . It has an area of 160 acres (0.65 km2) and within it is New Hall Mill, one of only two working watermills in the West Midlands. The mill is privately owned but is open to the public several times a year. • It has a strong cultural offer, with several performance venues, a vibrant arts community with many local amateur dramatic groups, musical theatre companies, orchestras, and dance schools. • There are also good amenities, including libraries, community centres and Church Halls, and sports and leisure facilities. • The town is served by a regular bus service and a railway station, which is part of the Birmingham Cross-City Line. Plan for Neighbourhoods Prostectus Guidance The successful specialist supplier/s will need to follow best practice community engagement guidance, as set out in the Plan for Neighbourhoods Prostectus. Best practice includes the following i.e., too: • Focus on those less likely to be heard. • Use local assets, by working with community groups that have the greatest reach. • Ensure there is sufficient time to allow engagement with all sections of the community. • Be comfortable straying from pre-determined questions. • Use the community to help identify priorities. • Target areas where engagement might have been underrepresented in the past. • Hold engagement events where people and communities meet, e.g., the high street, pubs, schools, parks, and community centres. • Provide and maintain a strong online presence and ensure digital documentation is easily accessible and creates a visual impact. • Encourage the community to participate in decision-making processes, identifying local solutions and bringing forward innovative ideas. As part of the Plan of Neighbourhoods requirements, The Town Council has establishment a Neighbourhoods Board, that is responsible for overseeing the planning and development of the Regeneration Plan and its implementation. The Prospectus sets out that the Board membership must include the MP, local Cllrs, and a senior representative from the Police. The Chair of the Board should "act as a champion for the place and provide leadership for the board, ensuring it is community-led and embedded within the local area." In addition, the Chair should ensure the Board is inclusive and represents a selection of people from across the local community. The successful supplier will therefore need to work closely with the Board on the community engagement, and the drafting of the Regeneration Plan and Investment Plan. Existing documents, and key information, that can support this work and the implementation of the strategy. Officers from the Town Council will support the development of this Plan, for example, by providing networking contacts and introductions. Existing information that needs building on for this work includes: • Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council`s Strategic Plan 2024-2028. • The new prospectus for the Town Fund is renamed the Plan for Neighbourhoods. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus-and-tools/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus There are also pre-approved interventions which would not require a separate business case. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus-and-tools/plan-for-neighbourhoods-pre-approved-interventions 2. Requirements - Specification/Brief The Town Council and Neighbourhoods Board is seeking an individual or organisation to lead our thinking on these issues in a visionary and highly visible way. Specific work for this contract includes the following: In consultation with the community and the Board, generate a vision for the future and set out a pathway to deliver that over the course of a 10-year programme by developing a Regeneration Plan from April 2026. To achieve this, certain questions need to be answered e.g.: - What physical and social infrastructure will drive growth? What tangible improvements will make a difference to everyday lives of the communities? What and where will have the biggest impact? Where are the communities with greatest need? Budget The total amount payable for this contract, i.e. for the grassroots engagement and drafting of the Vision Regeneration Plan and Investment Plan will not exceed £50,000 excluding VAT (including expenses and travel).

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