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 2015/16.

In Quarter 1 2014/16, a number of events had taken place in town centres across the Borough, including a Spring event in Penge town centre and the annual Bromley Means Business event.  The Local Authority continued to maintain direct contact with the Orpington 1^st Business Improvement District (BID) Board, and following the completion of the Planning Stage of the Bromley BID set up process, the proposed Outline BID Proposal for Bromley would be presented to the Council’s Executive on 15^th July 2015 for consideration by Members.  Work continued in town centres across the Borough.  The Bromley Town Centre Manager was currently completing a review of the operation, location and offer of Bromley’s three day market, and the Beckenham Town Centre Manager had supported Town Centre teams in Beckenham and Penge, the Beckenham Member Working Group and the Penge Traders Association, and had led the procurement process for Christmas lights and installation services in the Borough’s main towns. 

The Town Centre Management and Business Support Service had worked closely with various organisations to deliver a programme of support and networking opportunities for local businesses.  The bi-monthly Business e-Bulletin continued to be sent out to businesses across the Borough, and an online Commercial Property Database for the Borough had been commissioned and was now available on the Council website.

Future activities for the Town Centre Management and Business Support Service included supporting the Bromley BID Working Group as it finalised the BID Proposal, assisting the Beckenham Town Centre Team and the Beckenham Town Centre Working Group in engaging with businesses on designs for the major Transport for London funded scheme for Beckenham, and delivery of the Town Centre Team’s High Street Fund alleyway improvement project.  Work would also be undertaken to drive forward the Purple Flag project to support Beckenham’s night time economy and work with the Renewal Team on development of proposals and public consultation for the Bromley pedestrianised area public realm improvements.  An events and activities programme for the managed town centres would be developed, as would a programme of support workshops and seminars for local businesses.  The Bromley Business Awards would be held on 15^th October 2015, and all members of the Partnership were encouraged to participate.

The Chairman advised members of the Partnership that some concerns had had been identified around Bromley’s night time economy.  Local businesses, the Police and Licensing Officers were working together to address these issues which would be discussed at a meeting of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee on 14^th July 2015, to which Members of the Public Protection and Safety PDS Committee had also been invited.

Kate Miller, intu Bromley noted a recent Government announcement on the potential to extend Sunday trading hours.  Members of the Partnership were generally in support of the proposals, but underlined the need to ensure that workers in the retail sector were able to maintain a good work-life balance.

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 2015/16 be noted.