Lords to hold Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities inquiry follow-up evidence sessions
Friday 17 March 2023
On Monday 20 March 2023 the House of Lords Liaison Committee will hold three one-off evidence sessions to follow-up on the recommendations of the Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities Committee’s report, which was published in April 2019.
The Government's response to it was received in June 2019 and the report was debated in the House in July 2019. The report recommendations were subsequently followed up with a letter to the relevant minister in March 2021 with the response received in June 2021.
Lord Bassam of Brighton, who chaired the original committee, as well as three other members of the original committee, will join the Liaison Committee for these evidence sessions.
These evidence sessions, which are open to the public, will be held in Committee Room 4 and streamed live on Parliament TV.
At 3pm, the committee will hear from:
- Rebecca MacDonald-Lofts, Lead Officer, Local Government Association Coastal Special Interest Group
- Daniel Davies, Chief Executive and Founder, Rockpoint Leisure
- Alan Cavill, Director of Communication and Regeneration, Blackpool Council.
This session will focus on the position of seaside towns today, the challenges faced and opportunities posed by these areas, the effectiveness of the levelling up agenda in addressing the needs of coastal areas, the current funding landscape that these areas can access, and digital and transport connectivity.
At 4pm, the committee will hear from:
- Sarah Bone, Member, Association for School and College Leaders Council and Headteacher, Headlands School, Bridlington
- Russell Hobby, Chief Executive Officer, Teach First.
The focus of this session will be on education and the new mechanisms in place to support the areas that need it most including Education Investment Areas and Priority Education Investment Areas, the outcome of the Opportunity Areas programmes, teacher recruitment and retention in coastal areas, flexible learning and technical and skills-based education.
At 5pm, the committee will hear from:
- Dehenna Davison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Levelling Up), Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)
- Will Garton, Director General for Levelling Up, DLUHC
- Amanda Hurford, Deputy Director, Land & Infrastructure Division, Regeneration & Housing Delivery Directorate, DLUHC.
This session will cover the levelling up agenda in respect of coastal communities, whether joined up working is taking place across departments to address the needs of coastal areas and connectivity.
The Liaison Committee will use the evidence it gathers in these evidence sessions to produce a follow-up report which will be sent to the Government and debated in the House of Lords chamber.
