Feedback from TIP Assessment
For those Towns planning to submit their Town Investment Plans in the coming months, we are keen to share some guidance now available following the first round of TIP reviews for Cohort 1 Towns. In addition to the work undertaken by the TFDP (please see the events page for recordings of our Lessons Learnt webinars), MHCLG have provided pointers after reviewing and assessing the first set of TIPs.
We have collated and categorised this feedback into six key areas, as listed below.
Strategic vision
Your Town’s Strategic Vision, or ‘Golden Thread’ is key to demonstrating the rationale for the projects you are proposing and should be woven through your TIP to interlink all the sections and projects.
The narrative that tells your Town’s story and how your Town Board has engaged with stakeholders (both business and community) to develop your Town’s vision and strategy is also important.
The TIP should evidence your Town’s needs, using regional and national data, as well as identify opportunities. Provide evidence of how these needs will be addressed and opportunities will be capitalised.
Set out how your Town has considered the impacts of covid-19 and how plans have been adapted to accommodate and address these impacts.
Aligning with the intervention framework
Your Town’s projects should be clearly aligned with the intervention framework as highlighted in Annex A of the further guidance.
Be confident that the projects you are proposing can be delivered within the timeframe as set out in the further guidance.
MHCLG may not consider standalone masterplans and/or feasibility studies if they are not aligned with the intervention framework. Where these are proposed, your TIP should demonstrate a direct link to capital projects that fit within the intervention framework.
Engagement
MHCLG recognises that the restrictions imposed in relation to covid-19 have made engagement more challenging, but some Towns have taken innovative approaches to reach out beyond just those stakeholders who might typically respond to a formal consultation.
Explain how your Town has engaged as well as the impact this engagement has had on your proposals – both in developing the overall vision and strategy for your Town and the mix of projects proposed.
Include an ongoing engagement plan in your TIP, showing how you will build on your initial engagement work to galvanise interest in, and collective responsibility for, your plans.
Specifically in relation to community engagement, demonstrate your Town’s efforts to reach all community groups, including those unable/less likely to use the internet.
Specifically in relation to business engagement, show how a cross section of businesses have been engaged – both directly and through representative organisations.
Project and programme delivery costs
Include any programme delivery or revenue costs in your proposed capital projects, recognising that the Towns Fund is a predominantly capital fund.
Revenue-costed projects may not align with the intervention framework and will be the exception.
When completing the project template, outline outputs and outcomes and clearly identify appropriate costs, taking into consideration one of MHCLG’s assessment criteria is cost.
Exceptional proposals: applying for over £25m
To enable MHCLG to consider allocating funding above £25m for your Town, your TIP will need to score highly across the seven TIP criteria and demonstrate wider local, regional and national impact.
MHCLG will apply additional scrutiny to these TIPs, including potentially inviting your Town to a Challenge Session with senior civil servants in MHCLG.
How do you submit?
We understand that some questions remain regarding TIP submission. Look out for another blog that will be released later this week, detailing how to submit your TIP when the time comes.