Agenda item

The Head of Town Centre Management and Business Support gave an update around progress across the main Partnership themes of Town Centre Management and Business support in Quarter 1 2011/12.

In the first Quarter of 2011/12 the Town Centre Management Team had successfully delivered a range of spring events, including the Bromley ‘Easter Egg-stravaganza’ and the Festival of Sport.  An outreach campaign was currently underway to encourage increased business donations to Christmas lights in town centres following a reduction in Council funding.  It was also proposed to include Christmas lights as part of the Council’s bid to the Outer London Fund.  Informal consultation had been undertaken with businesses around the possible introduction of a Business Improvement District Scheme (BIDS) in Orpington Town Centre, and the Beckenham Business Association had been successfully re-launched. 

Future activities for the Town Centre Management Team included developing proposals for inclusion in area-based bids to the Mayor’s Outer London Fund in July 2011.  Informal consultation would continue on the proposed Orpington BIDS, and a review of markets, promotions and rides in town centres would also be undertaken.  A programme of summer events would be delivered, including the Big Dance event in Orpington and a Street Theatre Festival in Bromley. 

The Business Support Team had undertaken a wide range of activities including the promotion and distribution of the new Bromley Business Guide and Directory and revision of the Business web pages on the revamped Council website.  The ‘Explore Bromley Borough’ visitor guide had recently been published and work had been undertaken with the Communications Team on the Borough Inward Investment brochure.  An edition of the Bromley Business E-Bulletin had also been published and a new electronic ‘A to Z Guide to Local Services for Business’ publication had also been produced in partnership with the News Shopper. 

In the second quarter of 2011/12, work would continue on a number of activities delivered in Quarter 1.  In addition, the Business Support Team aimed to develop an inward investment plan for Bromley North Village, with possible additional funding from the Outer London Fund.  Further work would be undertaken towards the publication of the Borough Investment brochure in the run-up to the Invest Bromley event on 20^th September 2011.  Two editions of the Bromley Business E-bulletin were planned, and support would be given to the Cray Avenue Industrial Estate business group.

Members of the Partnership considered progress made across Town Centre Management and Business Support.  The number of business-start ups was encouraging and had recently been featured in the News Shopper.  The representative of Newsquest also highlighted the potential to ask business customers of the News Shopper how the Town Centre Management offer across Bromley might be developed.

With regard to the proposed Orpington BIDS, the Chairman suggested a similar scheme for Bromley Town Centre.  There was a need to include Bromley Charter Market in the upcoming review of markets, promotions and rides in town centres.

RESOLVED that:

1)  Recent work around Town Centre Management and Business Support in the 1^st Quarter of 2011/12 be noted;

2)  The plans for Town Centre Management and Business Support activity for the 2^nd Quarter of 2011/12 be noted.