Well, finally back after all the excitements of the election – only to find that there are new, almost daily, developments, as the coalition government settles in. It is not so easy to reflect on change when it continues to happen at a pace all around!
At the moment, we are waiting to see which of our capital schemes can still be funded. We have procured a partner, Barrett Keepmoat Yuill, for our first priority, Scotswood. They have made a start on site using money already committed. But we continue to talk to the HCA about the next years funding, and this is clearly an area we will have to watch what happens in the lead up to, and during, the emergency budget. Meanwhile, we are sitting down with BKY to start the negotiations to develop a business plan. We want to use this period to make sure that the views of residents and other stakeholders are accurately reflected.
All in all, the outlook is that there will be a lot less capital funding available. I am very pleased that high intensity, but low capital approaches such as that in Cowgate are now being used in the City. I suspect they will become the new road for regeneration in the coming years. The City’s commitment to Neighbourhood Charters in each ward also points the way forward.
Tags: Barrett, coalition, Cowgate, Election, HCA, Keepmoat, Scotswood, Yuill