Agenda item

The Head of Town Centre Management and Business Support gave an update on progress across the main Partnership themes of Town Centre Management and Business Support in Quarter 1 2014/15.

In Quarter 1 2014/15, a number of events had taken place in town centres including a very successful local produce market delivered in partnership with the Copers Cope Area Residents Association and the Beckenham Business Association on Beckenham Green.  A ‘Request for Quotes’ procurement process had started in June 2014 to secure the services of a suitable contractor to install and maintain Christmas lights for Christmas 2014.  The contract would include the supply of new lights and maintenance of existing lights in eight town centres across the Borough, five of which were externally funded by local business groups and lights committees.

The Local Authority continued to maintain direct contact with the Orpington 1^st BID Company through the attendance of non-voting members, Councillor William Huntington-Thresher and Martin Pinnell.  Bills for the 2014/15 BID levy had been issued and the Orpington 1^st BID Company had been finalising its budget and activity programme for the new financial year.. 

Following a feasibility study on the potential for further Business Improvement Districts (BID) being established in other town centres across the Borough, recommendations for action were reported to the meeting of the Council’s Executive on 15^th January 2014, and the Council’s Executive had endorsed the setting aside of £110k from reserves to fund a project to introduce a BID to Bromley Town Centre.  Following consideration at the meeting of the Renewal and Recreation PDS Committee, it was agreed that a Bromley BID Working Group be formed of people representative of Bromley Town Centre and that a grant of up to £90k be provided to the Bromley BID Working Group, subject to an agreement which stipulated a funding schedule conditional upon the Working Group meeting certain project milestones.  The Bromley BID Working Group was chaired by Marc Myers, General Manager, Intu Bromley Shopping Centre, and had recently signed off its governance arrangements with a view to appointing a delivery partner following the finalisation of the Local Authority’s grant agreement.  It was anticipated that the Bromley BID ballot might take place in October 2015 with a view to starting the BID (if successful) on 1^st April 2016.  Before the Bromley BID Ballot could take place, a feasibility study would be undertaken followed by an in-depth consultation of at least 45% of the potential levy payers to understand the key issues for the town centre.

In considering town centre vacancy units, 12.8% of units were currently vacant in Bromley town centre, and 8.1% of units were vacant in Penge town centre, which was lower than the national average of 13.5%.  Orpington town centre had a vacancy rate of 15.5%.  A significant proportion of the vacant units in both Bromley and Orpington town centres were within the shopping centres.  Work was ongoing to implement improvement projects agreed for funding from the Local Parades Improvement Initiative Fund.  By the end of 2013/14, £237k of the original £250k was authorised by the Portfolio Holder for Renewal and Recreation, of which £138k had already been spent with the remainder committed to a range of projects.  £13k remained unallocated to projects in parades and small town centres not yet served by this programme.

The Bromley North Village improvement works commenced in late July 2013 and were expected to run until November 2014.  The works in Market Square had commenced in January 2014 and were expected to continue until late summer 2014, which had impacted the ability of the Town Centre Management Team to utilise this space for events and promotions and generate income from these activities.  The Town Centre Manager for Bromley had been working closely with the Bromley North Village project team to help minimise disruption during the works and provide information to business owners and members of the public around the scheme, which included a weekly project status e-bulletin. 

Work continued to be undertaken with various organisations to provide a programme of support and networking opportunities for Bromley businesses.  On 18^th June 2014, the inaugural ‘Bromley Means Business’ Expo was held at Bromley Civic Centre with other 30 stands, seminars, one-to-one support surgeries and networking sessions.  The bi-monthly Bromley Business e-Bulletin had also been re-launched in June 2014 with a new look and continued to be e-mailed to over 3000 business addresses.

Future activities for the Town Centre Management and Business Support Service included engaging more with local businesses and town centre stakeholders, including the Orpington 1^st BID Company, the Beckenham Town Centre Team and the Beckenham Town Centre Working Group, as well as working closely with the Bromley BID Working Group to help engage with a wide cross-section of the town’s businesses as the project moved forward.  Work would also continue to implement the Local Parades Improvement Initiative where funding bids had been authorised.

An events and activities programme for the managed town centres would be delivered, including special markets and Christmas events, and work would also be undertaken with partner organisations to develop a programme of support workshops and seminars for local businesses.  Other activities would include maintaining regular business communications channels and publications, including the business e-bulletin.  Work with an external partner would also be undertaken to arrange for publication of the Bromley Business Guide for future years.

RESOLVED that:

1)  Recent work around Town Centre Management and Business Support in the 1^st Quarter of 2014/15 be noted; and

2)  The plans for Town Centre Management and Business Support activity for the 2^nd Quarter of 2014/15 be noted.