Cabinet:  

1. Supported the principles and overall approach of the Plymouth City Centre Company BID and its draft Business Plan for 2025 to 2030 (however the BID legislation does not require the Local Authority’s endorsement); 
 

2. Endorsed the principles and overall approach of the Plymouth City Centre Company BID and its draft Business Plan for 2025 to 2030 (however the BID legislation does not require the Local Authority’s endorsement); 
 

3. Approved the City Council’s financial and in-kind contributions as set out in this report (totalling £590,000) and to demonstrate its continued commitment to the City Centre Company BID at existing levels through the proposed BID Concordat and Contract for the provision of services within the Plymouth City Centre Business Improvement District area;  

4. Authorised the Chief Executive as Ballot Holder to instruct a Ballot Holder to undertake a ballot of appropriate businesses within the City Centre Company Business Improvement District area; 
 

5. Delegated to the Service Director (Economic Development) the right to vote on behalf of the City Council in the Plymouth City Centre Company Business Improvement District ballot; 
 

6. Delegated to the Service Director (Economic Development) approval of the Plymouth City Centre Company Business Improvement District Operating Agreement, provided it accords with the general principles set out in this report. 
 

7. To make a recommendation to City Council regarding the exercising its power of veto. 

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) introduced the item and highlighted the following points:

a)     Plymouth’s first BID was back in 2005, and was only the second BID in the UK outside of London;

b)    Highstreets across the country had been struggling, and although Plymouth had been also, it had not to the extent of others due to the work of individuals and this Administration;

c)     The Council had supported and invested in various aspects of the city centre including:

i) The Box, where 850,000 people had visited;

ii) Bretonside Bus Station was an unwelcoming place as a bus terminal, but was now a successful cinema complex and leisure facility;

iii)  The new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) was a £25 million investment in the city centre and would kick start the regeneration of the West End, and would potentially bring in 100,00 visitors a year;

iv) The University of Plymouth had a new £4 million facility;

v) A grant of £8.5 million had been secured to repurpose the city centre;

vi) There was ongoing regeneration of the Guildhall into a new music and entertainment venue;

vii) The work undertaken in Old Town Street and New George Street was coming to a conclusion;

viii) Work on Armada Way would be started and would be a considerable investment in the city centre;

d)    After seeing the investment the Council had put into the city centre, businesses had been more willing to invest;

e)     Since Plymouth Market had had investment, it housed some of the top performing restaurants on Trip Advisor;

f)      The housing agenda in the city centre gave the opportunity to provide new housing.

Nigel Godfrey (Chair of the Plymouth City Centre Company) added:

g)     The partnership between Plymouth City Centre Company and PCC had formed 25 years ago, under Councillor Tudor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council)’s leadership;

h)     The City Centre Company represented over 500 businesses and not only worked to provide a safe, secure and clean city centre, but ensured the ongoing viability of both individual businesses and the city centre as a whole;

i)      The city centre represented the life blood of Plymouth, as the members employed thousands, residents shopped, worked and spent their leisure time and would increasingly be a place where more people would live;

j)      A successful city centre was a sign of confidence and a sign of a successful city;

k)     The City Centre Company remained steadfast in their commitment to be the trusted partner, which glued all of the parties together during good and difficult times.

Steve Hughes (Chief Executive of the Plymouth City Centre Company) added:

l)      The draft business plan was being worked on, and was designed for the business audience who were the BID levy payers in the city centre;

m)   Businesses had notices the investments that had been made by the Council into the city centre;

n)    Footfall was rising, and vacancy rates were falling due to new businesses opening in the last year. This also put the city centre in a strong position for a more diverse, mixed economy;

o)    Improved public spaces would be used to deliver events from busking to full scale theatrical productions at the new performance space at North Cross or in Old Town Square.

David Draffan (Service Director for Economic Development) added:

p)    Economic Development was always done in partnership;

q)    The plan was to introduce New Use Residential, health, leisure and culture into the city centre;

r)     £250 million worth of projects were happening with another £250 million in the pipeline.

Patrick Knight (Manager for Economy/Partnerships/Regeneration) added:

s)     This was the fifth time the city centre BID was renewed, and in that time £11 million had been raised in the private sector to add to what the Council had supplied;

t)     Kezia Lock (Economic Development Officer) was introduced.

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities) added:

u)    Businesses within the city centre provided services and employment to residents;

v)     The City Centre Company was a legitimate local voice, and was a way to engage easily when matters arose of differing opinion;

w)   25 years ago, the residential quarter in the city centre was three small Plymouth Community Homes developments, and there were now substantially more residents in the city centre, not all of which were students;

x)    The role of the City Centre Company going forward would not only be to represent businesses but to help smooth relationships between residents and businesses so the city centre would work for everyone.

Cabinet agreed to:

1. Support the principles and overall approach of the Plymouth City Centre Company BID and its draft Business Plan for 2025 to 2030 (however the BID legislation does not require the Local Authority’s endorsement); 
 

2. Endorse the principles and overall approach of the Plymouth City Centre Company BID and its draft Business Plan for 2025 to 2030 (however the BID legislation does not require the Local Authority’s endorsement); 
 

3. Approve the City Council’s financial and in-kind contributions as set out in this report (totalling £590,000) and to demonstrate its continued commitment to the City Centre Company BID at existing levels through the proposed BID Concordat and Contract for the provision of services within the Plymouth City Centre Business Improvement District area;  

4. Authorise the Chief Executive as Ballot Holder to instruct a Ballot Holder to undertake a ballot of appropriate businesses within the City Centre Company Business Improvement District area; 
 

5. Delegate to the Service Director (Economic Development) the right to vote on behalf of the City Council in the Plymouth City Centre Company Business Improvement District ballot; 
 

6. Delegate to the Service Director (Economic Development) approval of the Plymouth City Centre Company Business Improvement District Operating Agreement, provided it accords with the general principles set out in this report. 
 

7. Make a recommendation to City Council regarding the exercising its power of veto.