By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Mansfield District Council is planning to use a consultant as it drives forward a scheme aimed at making the town centre more ‘smart’.
The Labour-run authority has approved the £45,000 contract with AD Business Solutions to lead various elements of its ‘SMART Mansfield’ project.
The scheme is one of six projects being progressed through the authority’s £12.3m Government-led Towns Fund pot.
Its aim is to encourage more people to visit and stay in the town, improve digital skills and “provide a platform for creating higher-value jobs”.
Its long-term aim also hopes to encourage employers to move to Mansfield, to improve the quality of life for residents and to boost connectivity.
It will lead to installing a Low Power Wide Area Network System (LoRaWAN), which will help people living and visiting the area.
The authority says this system will host digital information for businesses and visitors whilst “contributing to the growth of the local economy”.
The project also will be used to improve internet connectivity both in the town centre and in rural areas.
It could also lead to live parking displays in town centre car parks, which a survey found was needed to prevent a “deterrent to visiting” the town.
Smart parking schemes may also offer discount and bulk buy options for town centre businesses, pre-booking facilities and automated payment methods.
Documents also say a scheme could be created to offer an incentive for people to spend more time in the town centre.
The authority did not outline the rewards but stated this “could be linked to skills and education”.
There would also be learning tools available to residents to boost education and skills, alongside the introduction of smart waste and energy management.
Now the authority has confirmed a project manager has been identified to bring the scheme forwards and a contract has been agreed.
AD Business Solutions will support the council with the scheme and be in charge of designing and operating the LoRaWAN project.
It will also support the authority with smart parking, operational management and finance, and developing the schemes with town centre organisations.
The £45,000 contract, which doesn’t include VAT, was approved by Martin Saxton, the council’s head of planning and regeneration, last week.
Reports confirm the organisation has already been involved in the SMART Mansfield project by helping to draw up a business case.
In a report, the authority said: “This is a highly specialised appointment requiring skills and knowledge that the council does not have internally.
“AD Solutions was appointed to help develop the full business case … and has an intimate knowledge of the project.
“SMART Mansfield will enable a range of technological proposals to be developed.
“[These will minimise] the impact on the environment with the smart parking solution minimising congestion and emissions.”
The authority will allocate £1m from the Towns Fund pot for SMART Mansfield.
Separate Towns Fund projects include £3.27m to make Berry Hill Park a ‘destination’ and £750,000 on re-branding the town centre.
Both schemes aim to improve the visitor economy across the district, while the branding will bring improved events and cultural activities.
The Towns Fund is also being used on the new £8m health hub in Warsop, with £3m from the pot spent on the facility.
Andy Abrahams, Mansfield’s Labour mayor, previously said: “The Towns Fund gives the council and its partners an opportunity to fundamentally transform the future economy for people living and working in Mansfield.
“These projects should eventually bring better connectivity to Mansfield and far-reaching improvements to help make this area a more vibrant place.”
