A new year for a big city with a big plan…

On Monday I received a copy of the Big City Plan ‘Work in Progress’ public consultation document The purpose of the report is to seek the views of the public on the issues that will affect development of the city centre over the next 20 years.

The Big City Plan team has spent the last few months identifying these issues and defining options for how Birmingham could look, feel and function in the future.

As young professionals, most of us work in the city centre, the majority of us use it for the base of our entertainment, socialising and shopping, and a significant number of us live within the area covered by the Big City Plan. It is therefore vital that these key stakeholders get the opportunity to ‘have their say’.

The Colmore Business Improvement District is go go go…

The Colmore BID is being led by Birmingham Forward and Birmingham Future, supported by Birmingham City Centre Partnership and was launched last week at an event hosted by PwC.

The BID Prospectus lists the ten BID pledges, details the key actions that will be undertaken, provides a detailed breakdown of the first year’s budget and explains the voting process for early 2009.

The Colmore Business District is Birmingham’s premier concentration of professional and business service firms and home to some 500 companies that employ almost 24,000 people. The area welcomes many of the city’s business visitors and is due to play a major role in the development of the city centre as detailed in the Big City Plan.

This is the first UK BID with such a high concentration of commercial occupants at over 90%.

A part of the BID’s key pledges is a promise to promote a clear identity for the district and to deliver a high quality and user friendly “streetscape.” Also contained within the prospectus are pledges to make the area safer and cleaner. It is also hoped that the BID will bring a collective voice for the business community within the area and opportunities to network and engage with neighbours.

Within the specific actions detailed by the BID is the recruitment, during the first year, of a team of “street wardens” to provide both meet and greet in addition to safety and security services to staff and visitors alike. There is also a commitment to improve safety with upgraded lighting and other physical improvements and to initiate a range of street and IT based signage and information media.

The BID will be financed by an annual levy being collected by Birmingham City Council. All business sectors will be included and a 1% levy of rateable value will be charged on all properties with a rateable value in excess of £10,000 per annum. The largest occupiers in the district will have their contributions capped.

As part of the prospectus the BID team presented the first year’s spending priorities from an anticipated budget of £680,000. Of this £170,000 (25%) will be allocated to improving the streetscape and public realm environment including the commissioning of sculpture, greening, floral displays and festive lighting.

£160,000 (23.5%) will be set aside to finance the full time uniformed street wardens.

£40,000 (5.9%) will be allocated for the BID caretaker service to ensure maintenance and cleaning is kept up to standard.

At the launch, the team confirmed the BID Ballot timetable.  The Ballot will be conducted by Independent Scrutineer, Electoral Reform Services.

• January 9^th 2009 – Notification of the ballot will be sent out to all those businesses eligible to vote.

• January 19^th 2009 – Ballot papers will be dispatched

• February 27^th 2009 – Ballot will close at 5 pm

• March 2nd 2009 – The result will be announced and if it is in favour, the BID will formally be established for a five year term on April 1^st.

 A not-for-profit company will be formed to run the activities of the BID with a voluntary Board made up of representatives from different sectors of the business community taken from firms situated within the BID area and from other strategic partners. The BID will be run by a dedicated manager and a small support team based in the BID area.

Commenting on the launch of the BID Prospectus, Gary Cardin said; “This is a very exciting initiative for one of the city’s most prestigious business areas. If the BID is successful we will, through the BID company and by working with partners such as Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Police, change dramatically the environment and atmosphere of the Colmore Business District.  During the five year term of the BID we are able to invest just under £3.5 million pounds into this important area of the city centre that will significantly improve the landscape for the firms and their staff who work here and also provide a more welcoming and pleasant place for our visitors.”

The ten Colmore Business District BID pledges:

·       Promote a clear identity and profile for the District and the businesses within it.

·       Deliver a high quality and user friendly ‘streetscape’ throughout the District.

·       Achieve enhanced environmental cleaning and maintenance standards.

·       Provide a safe and welcoming business environment.

·       Improve the District’s accessibility and wider city centre connections.

·       Promote local business networking and community  engagement.

·       Operate as an effective business led ‘voice’ with the resources to make things happen.

·       Engage with and support businesses

·       Deliver visible improvements and get things done – it will not be a talking shop.

·       Deliver projects and services that are additional to those provided by Birmingham City Council and others.