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 2 2015/16.

The Local Authority continued to maintain direct contact with the Orpington 1st Business Improvement District (BID) Board which was delivering a range of events and initiatives within Orpington town centre. It was noted that progress was being made with the Bromley BID proposal, and that a business plan had been distributed to 550 businesses and voting was currently taking place. The result of the Bromley BID would be known on the 6th November 2015. Some members of the Partnership who were eligible to vote in the ballot should have received a BID proposal document and a ballot paper. The Bromley BID proposal focused on making Bromley Safer, Smarter, Prominent and Pro Business. 

The Bromley Town Centre Manager was currently completing a review of the operation, location and offer of Bromley’s three day market, and the results of this had been incorporated into the designs for the public realm upgrade project for Bromley High Street. 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.  Work had been ongoing to drive forward the Purple Flag project to support Beckenham’s night time economy – with a submission of the application expected imminently.

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.

The Head of Town Centre Management and Business Support appraised the Partnership that an audit of vacant business premises had taken place, and that the percentage of business units vacant in Bromley Town Centre had fallen from 6.5% to 5% which was good news; in Beckenham the figure was 5%, and in Penge it was 6.4%. Work was continuing on improving the alleyways in Beckenham, and a contractor had now been appointed.  Mr Steve Nelson (South East London Chamber of Commerce) informed the Partnership that he had recently attended the launch of a Social Enterprise network that had proved very successful, with a diverse range of attendees. Mr Pinnell agreed to circulate further information on this initiative to the members of the Partnership.

Future activities for the Town Centre Management and Business Support Service included:

• Supporting the Bromley BID Working Group during the remaining ballot period and if successful at ballot during the establishment phase.
• 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
• Delivery of the Town Centre Team’s High Street Fund alleyway improvement project. 
• Working with the Renewal Team on the development of proposals and public consultation for the Bromley pedestrianised area public realm improvements.  Delivery of a Christmas events programme for the managed town centres
• Developing and delivering a New Homes Bonus-funded business support programme in Penge and overseeing a business support programme to be delivered in Orpington by Orpington 1^st BID.

RESOLVED that:

1)  Recent work around Town Centre Management and Business Support in the 2^nd Quarter of 2015/16 be noted; and

2)  The plans for Town Centre Management and Business Support activity for the 3^rd Quarter of 2015/16 be noted.