The following question was submitted by Stephen Dart

Question: PCC confirmed (23/10/23) that it’s funding of Brickfields pays for “carrying out improvements to the existing stand …. and ongoing maintenance … at the athletics track.” PCC states funding is from maintenance savings due to partners taking on these costs - why are PCC funding such improvements / maintenance? 

Response: Thanks to Mr Dart for his follow-up question. The redevelopment of the Brickfields site really is a once in a generation opportunity to secure significant investment in sport, health and wellbeing services that will benefit not just the people of Devonport but residents all across the city and indeed visitors from outside Plymouth as well. 

Mr Dart’s question asks about the funding which the Council is providing towards some improvements to the athletics track and ongoing maintenance of that facility.  

Before I answer that specific question it’s worth highlighting that the Council’s commitment to provide £2.75m has helped to secure over £18m of funding from our partners at Plymouth Argyle Football Club and Plymouth Argyle Community Trust. Together with Plymouth Albion and Devonport Community Leisure Ltd (who will be the voice of the local community) we will be creating a new home for elite and grassroots sport, and new health and wellbeing facilities that will be the envy of other towns and cities in the southwest. 

The funding which is being spent on the athletics track is really important. The track at Brickfields is used regularly by the City of Plymouth Athletics Club, the University of Plymouth’s Athletics Club, a number of local schools and other clubs and by the Ministry of Defence. The track therefore provides opportunities for hundreds of people every year to keep fit and get into sport. And that’s what this project is all about – as well as providing new facilities for elite-level football and rugby, this project is all about supporting grass roots sport and giving local people opportunities to improve their health and wellbeing. 

The following question was submitted by Alderman George Wheeler

Question: You advised me last June that work on the St Budeaux Interchange project was scheduled to commence from September 2023. In a recent bulletin, Mr. Mercer MP wrote that Mr. Payne had told him it would start in January. Is this correct and if not, when will it commence, please?

Response: In June 2023 the timescale advised for commencement by the project team for the St Budeaux Interchange Transforming Cities Fund project was for commencement in September 2023. I am now advised by the project team that the project will now commence in February 2024. The context for delivering all projects at this time are extremely challenging due to wider macro-economic circumstances, contract price inflation, materials supply issues and labour constraints. In the intervening time further work has been undertaken by the project team to make a few adjustments to the programme to minimise potential traffic disruptions for taxi and bus users. In addition, the scheme had to also secure re-approval for the project through the Department of Transport’s Change Control process before the project programme could be finalised.