To seek cabinet agreement to sign off and submit the Stronger Towns Fund Full Business Cases for the;

Hereford Museum and Art Gallery Redevelopment Project Maylord Orchard Library and Learning Resource Centre Project and to recommend adjustments to the capital programme to reflect proposed changes to funding levels and sources’

The Full Business Case application for submission seeking Stronger Towns grant funding of £5m for Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project and £3m for Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resource Centre project be approved ; b) Cabinet recommend to Council an adjustment to the capital programme to fund the project from the capital receipts reserve of up to £8m for the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project and up to £0.5m to the Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resource Centre project; c) The project development funding of up to £160k offered by the Hereford Stronger Towns Board for the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project and the Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resource Centre project is accepted and expenditure approved; d) The project development funding of up to £77k offered by the National Heritage Lottery Fund for the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project is accepted and expenditure approved; e) The Medium Term Financial Strategy budget setting process for 2023/24 and beyond include consideration of the operational revenue requirements for Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project and the Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resource Centre project ; and f) Authority is delegated to the Corporate Director Economy and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Commissioning, Procurement and Assets and the Section 151 Officer to take all operational decisions in connection with both projects , including the commitment of funds for required technical works, and to commence the procurement of contractors on a design and build basis for the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery and the Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resources Centre projects.

The alternative options considered are 1) not to progress the projects/ submit the projects for funding consideration. However, this would mean the significant economic and challenges identified in the Hereford Town Investment Plan would not be addressed, and the city/county would lose the opportunity to secure up to £13m of external funding. This is not recommended. 2) The projects are scaled back to within the external funding envelope. It is unlikely the scale of change required could be achieved from projects so significantly reduced in scale, and the other funders would be unlikely to commit their funds without the council match. This is not recommended. 3) The council seeks alternative funding. No other funding routes of the scale required are available at this time. This is not recommended.