Developing Town Centres - Strategic Plan 2007- 2010 – Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough
Report by:
Neil Brown, Town Centres and Inward Investment Manager
Ward Implications:
Berwick-upon-Tweed; Belford, Seahouses and Wooler
1
Summary
1.1
The draft strategic plan for town centres is attached.
2
Recommendations
2.1
That the Committee adopts the principles within the strategic plan
• Managed and co-ordinated town centres;
• Accessible town centres;
• Safe & welcoming town centres;
• Attractive and quality town centres;
• Marketed and promoted town centres;
• Towns for development and investment;
• Towns for leisure & culture;
2.2
Notes and supports in principle the actions contained in Strategic Plan, and
2.3
Comments on any of the issues raised in this report.
3
Report
3.1
The Developing Town Centres - Strategic Plan 2007-2010 – Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough is attached.
3.2
The plan has been developed through advice from the Association of Town Centre Management and other town centre managers in the UK. Although the principles are generally the same in the UK the solutions for each town will often differ and any detailed town plan needs to be developed locally and should be able to quickly adapt to any change in circumstances. It will also depend on which issues are more important for that town. It is hoped that the Council and its successor recognises the need to apply the principles of successful town centres and works together with our external partners to improve our towns.
3.3
At the heart of town centre management is partnership working with local businesses and others to help improve the retail offer and improve the vibrancy and vitality of town centres. Real partnerships are often difficult in the early stages as trust has to be earned. However once this is earned the real work of each partnership can begin.
3.4
Partnership working has already started. In Berwick-upon-Tweed we established a town partnership in July 2006 which was formalised in March 2007. Elected members are at the heart of any partnership and members were recently formally appointed.
In Wooler, Glendale Community Development Trust has recently expanded its town regeneration partnership to consider the potential actions from the Retail Distinctiveness Study undertaken by Miller Consultants on behalf of the NSP. The partnership will also consider additional actions to improve Wooler town centre. Funding from NSP for specific projects is anticipated. A fuller report on the Retail Distinctiveness Studies and progress will be reported to a future meeting of the Policy Committee.
In Seahouses we have recently started a town regeneration partnership to discuss the Retail Distinctiveness Study for Seahouses.
Belford has two active trusts, Bell View and Belford Community Development Trust in addition to the Parish Council. All three organisations recognise the value of working together and it is hoped that a Belford Town Partnership may be possible in the near future.
4
Implications
4.1
Comments from the Council’s Section 151 Officer
It is quite important that growth items related to the strategic plan mentioned in paragraph 2.1,b are included in the relevant service business plan in the immediate round of the planning cycle and Project Briefs completed and presented to Improvement Programme Board with a degree of urgency. There appears to be a requirement for additional funding and it is critical to establish how much resource will be needed to deliver all or elements of the strategic plan.
4.2
Comments from the Council’s Monitoring Officer
No comments.
4.3
Comments from the Head of Paid Service
No comments.
4.4
Local Agenda 21
All projects in the town centre will either be short term or have the potential to deliver long term, sustainable economic, environmental and social regeneration.
4.5
Equality
There are no equality issues.
4.6
Crime and Disorder
Safety of the town centres is paramount. There are no crime and disorder issues arising from the report.
