Issue - meetings

High streets in town, city and district centres in the UK are changing.  Even before COVID 19, high streets were continually in the news and public eye as a result of significant departures of many renowned retail brands, the rise in the number of empty shops and the change in experience reported by visitors. The reasons behind these changes are many and complex.  Nationally, many reports have been written, and many experts have commented on the changes happening to high streets and town centres and offered potential solutions.   Locally, the preceding Councils worked over many years, with key partners such as the Business Improvement Districts, Chambers of Commerce and industry groups, to proactively support and invest in their town centres in various ways.   Whilst this has not stopped, COVID 19 has arguably sped up a process that was already underway and created a new reality that now needs to be considered alongside the previous best practice. However, COVID 19 has also provided an opportunity to bounce back better, together, to embrace the change, and to consider how best a Council and its partners can intervene positively and create, or curate, high streets that are fit for now and for the future.  This report expands on the above, and asks for authority to be delegated to the Director of Development and the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning, to work with partners develop a strategy and deliver swift interventions that will support our high streets to bounce back quickly and strongly.

RESOLVED that Cabinet delegates authority to the Director of Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Strategic Planning to work with partners and ward councillors to swiftly develop a strategy and action plan, enabling the delivery interventions that will support our high streets.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning

Reason

To focus resources and effort of the Council and its partners on supporting our high streets to bounce back strongly and quickly, helping to deliver the Dynamic Places priority in the Corporate Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that high streets in town, city and district centres in the UK are changing. 

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that even before COVID 19, high streets were continually in the news and public eye as a result of significant departures of many renowned retail brands, the rise in the number of empty shops and the change in experience reported by visitors. The reasons behind these changes are many and complex.  Nationally, many reports have been written, and many experts have commented on the changes happening to high streets and town centres and offered potential solutions.   Locally, the preceding Councils worked over many years, with key partners such as the Business Improvement Districts, Chambers of Commerce and industry groups, to proactively support and invest in their town centres in various ways.   Further to this Cabinet was informed that whilst this has not stopped, COVID 19 has arguably sped up a process that was already underway and created a new reality that now needs to be considered alongside the previous best practice.

However, further to this Cabinet was advised that COVID 19 has also provided an opportunity to bounce back better, together, to embrace the change, and to consider how best a Council and its partners can intervene positively and create, or curate, high streets that are fit for now and for the future, and that this report expands on the above, and asks for authority to be delegated to the Director of Development and the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning, to work with partners develop a strategy and deliver swift interventions that will support our high streets to bounce back quickly and strongly.

In closing the Portfolio Holder expressed thanks to those involved in this work and further to this advised that there had been a recent all member seminar on this area.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet, expressing thanks that the recommendation from the recent meeting of the Board as set out below had been accepted by the Portfolio Holder.

The Overview and Scrutiny Board recommend to Cabinet that the recommendation in the report be amended as follows:

‘Cabinet delegates authority to the Director of Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Strategic Planning, to work with partners and ward Councillors, to swiftly develop a strategy and action plan, enabling the delivery interventions that will support our high streets.

RESOLVED that Cabinet delegates authority to the Director of Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economy and Strategic Planning to work with partners and ward councillors to swiftly develop a strategy and action plan, enabling the delivery interventions that will support our high streets.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 299

To consider the High Streets Strategy Cabinet Report, Scheduled for consideration by Cabinet at its meeting on 10 February.

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Philip Broadhead, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning

The Cabinet report for this item is included with the agenda for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

The Chairman invited the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning to present the report, a copy of which had been circulated to each member and which appears as Appendix 'C' to these minutes in the Minute Book. The Portfolio Holder introduced the item and asked the Lead Member for BCP Retail Strategy to provide further updates to the Board on the content of the paper. The Lead Member advised the Board that there was a Workshop held on 19 January, which provided an opportunity to share ideas, observations and thoughts on how to revive a high street. The Board were informed of the number and percentage of empty units across the three main town centres within BCP. It was noted that it was a difficult situation being faced by traders, but it was hoped that when lockdown was over there would be opportunities for high streets to bounce back. The Lead Member suggested that a kick start was needed to get confidence back into town centres and a number of different ideas were shared with the Board to help ensure that void spaces were occupied, help high streets recover and give confidence to landlords. The Chairman commented that it was great that we were being proactive on this by taking innovative steps and ideas and opened the item up to further discussion from Board members which included the following issues:

·       A Councillor commented that the link between transportation and high streets was important and that this needed to be included. In reference to the Workplace Parking Levy, introduced by Nottingham Council which had generated £64m to invest into sustainable transport methods, the Councillor commented that it would be good to see BCP doing something similar with this piece of work. It was noted that the scheme had also attracted external funding.  The Lead member noted that one of the issues with this was that the places most likely to survive the pandemic would be industrial estates and out of town retail parks. Furthermore, finance from car parking was baked into the forecast for BCP. However, there was a whole mix of things that the Council could be doing in this regard and this would come through in the retail strategy. The Portfolio Holder commented that making sure people could get around as part of an enjoyable experience. It was noted that of those living in Boscombe / Bournemouth town centres around half do not have access to a car and when seeking views of the area from young people a number said how easy it was to get around the local area using public transport.

·       With reference to charity shops, a Councillor advised that the shop set up to contribute to the Mayor of Bournemouth’s charities in Boscombe town centre was taking £1800 per week and was looking to increase trading further, and showed that some retail premises were still doing well, even in these difficult times. Charity shops formed a key part of economic recoveries and may  ...  view the full minutes text for item 148