This is a response to the invitation from Primera to contribute views on draft BID proposals. While I have blogged about the proposals, and had helpful email exchanges with Primera, I thought it useful to bring points together.
I have lived in Smithfield since 1999, and developed the Exploring EC1 project over the past three years. I am a former planning correspondent for the Evening Standard and have worked extensively on community participation, cross-sector partnerships, and community tech. I contribute stories and a regular column to the EC1 Echo. More here.
Blog posts and briefing pages
I wrote a blog post about the BID proposals on August 24 2022: Latest business improvement plans could make City neighbourhoods better for all. If …. The proposals had been circulated to ward members with agreement they could be shared, but my post was the first time they had been published. Kate Hart of Primera, and Andrew Smith, chair of the Culture Mile Partnership provided substantial additional information and comments after seeing a draft of the post. Kate wrote:
“There is also still the opportunity for residents to get involved now. The BID proposal has been shared with ward members and will be available to view in draft form on a new website www.culturemilebid.co.uk in early September. Ward members are also invited to a briefing on the BID in early Sept. The Partnership is keen to hear views on the draft proposal so please get on touch”.
The essence of the post was that plans for the BID could benefit both businesses and residents IF there was provision for engagement to realise this vision in the proposals:
“Collaboration sits at the heart of the BID model. Understanding the value that each member of our community can contribute to projects is vital. We want to harness the potential of all the communities that make up the Culture Mile area, unlocking new opportunities for all”.
“From our point of view, if a Neighbourhood Forum was to be explored, then we could work with the community to develop a forum that reflected the make up and character of the area, bringing together businesses and residents as they have done in Victoria. “
Here’s a summary of points from blog posts and briefing papers, together with further observations following analysis of the report by Tim Jones to Culture and Heritage committee on July 18 2022.
Communication and engagement to date
At the time of writing, my blog is the only place, as far as I can see, that draft BID proposals are available. There has been a meeting with ward members, and invitation for them to comment, but responses have not been published. The BID proposals have not been discussed in any open City Corporation committee. I think that raises issues of transparency, commitment to engagement and governance that I have followed through below.
In my blog post and briefing note I distinguish between structural solutions like a neighbourhood forum, infrastructure for communication and engagement, and methods for engagement around specific projects. I would argue that the BID needs a structural solution, with appropriate infrastructure, as well as more day-to-day engagement methods.
One idea raised by Primera - see above - was a Neighbourhood Forum, set up under the Localism Act 2011. The Victoria BID services the Victoria Neighbourhood Forum. However, a Neighbourhood Forum require a group of at least 21 local people to propose its formation - so it isn’t in the gift of the BID at the outset. Another possibility I’ve heard mentioned is some form of community forum, although I have not seen any reference to these except in the context of the alternative Community Improvement District model. Briefing notes on BIDs and CIDs here.
Relationship to Culture Mile
The Culture and Heritage committee of the City Corporation has been responsible for Culture Mile since January 2022. On July 18 2022 the committee received a paper from Culture Mile Manager Tim Jones detailing development of the project over the past first years, and outlining plans for the second phase from April 2023. This explained how funding had been cut in recent years, and the Corporation required a mixed-economy model for the future:“Committee members took the view that Culture Mile should move quickly to a business model which balanced City Corporation investment with external funding and were concerned that bold action was needed to ensure that City Corporation did not become the‘bank of last resort’ for the project.”
The paper added:
“Achieving success in a BID ballot in spring 2023, it was argued, will unlock resources for placemaking, culture-led activation and other enhancement from outside of the City Corporation within a legally binding and sustainable framework”.
It noted:
“All staff in a cross-cutting function – central coordination, partnerships and the marketing and communications are due to come off contract by March 2023. In the lead up to this period these team members are supporting the BID campaign through the production and delivery of a series of‘demonstration projects’ and identifying how the various aspects of Culture Mile can be effectively secured alongside the BID from March 2023 onwards”.
This suggests that in January businesses will be voting not just for a BID programme to add value to existing programmes, but in effect to support the next phase of Culture Mile.
As far as I am aware, the governance implications of this have not been discussed publicly. The July committee did not have detailed plans for the BID. The September committee was to have discussed cultural strategy, but the meeting has been cancelled. There is currently no way to engage residents in this important discussion and decision and about the future of Culture Mile.
In summary
The lack of any official publication of the draft strategy, or other engagement with residents, poses challenges at two levels:
Personal interest and background
Blog posts and briefing pages
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