BUILDING A PARTNERSHIP

Keith Hoskins

Hitchin Initiative

Award Winning Town Centre Management

Hitchin BID

Business Improvement District

• Hitchin Initiative was set up in October 1995

Landlords / Retailers / Local Authority

• Private company limited by guarantee

• Steering Group of 12 – all sectors – retail, financial

& professional services, council, community,

residential & commercial development

• Hitchin BID established by ballot in April 2009

70% Yes vote on 49.8% turnout

• Hitchin Markets Ltd established August 2008

• Hitchin Town Hall Ltd set up in 2011

PARTNERSHIP – THE 3 ‘C’s

COMMERCE

COUNCIL

COMMUNITY

THE MISSION STATEMENT:

TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC,

CULTURAL AND SOCIAL VITALITY OF THE TOWN

BRING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

TOGETHER WITH OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS

• Identifying common goals

• Pooling resources

• Sharing expertise

• Encouraging active participation project groups

• Developing action plans & setting appropriate

targets & monitoring

• Communications – promoting the partnership

BRING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

TOGETHER WITH OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS

THEM & US - ‘What’s in it for me?’

‘I pay enough in rates already’

Great partnerships can be born out of attrition!

COMPETITION is not each other, it’s out-of-town, next town, internet

The importance of networking?

ALL business – not just retail

A case of civic pride!

Existing Chamber or Traders Association?

How much more achieved together?

Remove conflicts – One person’s stakeholder is another’s p.i.a.

Strength in the community – what goes on already?

ROLE OF THE STEERING GROUP

To support and monitor TCM/Partnership aims

Increase core financial support

Support fundraising events

Promote town issues

Submit annual performance review and revise

the Business Plan

Look at ways for the Partnership to expand its

role in the community whilst not losing sight of

the original remit

IDENTIFYING COMMON GOALS

Look at issues that impact on all groups:

ACCESS

Examples:

• Maps

• Signage; car parking – numbers, costs & maintenance

• Pedestrian priority; transport operators; shopmobility;

access audit

ENVIRONMENT

Examples:

• Street cleaning; floral displays; street furniture – too much,

too little, poorly maintained?; monitoring contract services –

usually & especially public loos !; upkeep of buildings/shop

fronts; graffiti; fly-posting

PROMOTION

Examples:

• Seasonal campaigns; Christmas lights; event

co-ordination; markets; community space;

publications; key attractions; what happens already!

DEVELOPMENT

Examples

• Empty property register; liaison with landlords; identify

areas for refurbishment or build in longer term, identify

gaps in the retail profile, business training

FUNDING - Look at:

1. A widening of our Service Level Agreement

with NHDC to undertake key functions under

delegated authority e.g. Street trading, markets

2. Asset Development / Transfer

3. Business Improvement District

4. Lobbying of key businesses

5. Individual projects and events

Difficulties of an open town – ‘freeloaders’

The Initiative has developed into a one-stop shop

for businesses, visitors and residents

POOLING RESOURCES

Sustainability

– the Holy Grail of Town Centre Managers

LOOK AT:

COUNCIL BUDGETS:

• Focussed public sector investment

• NB: end of financial year – beware ongoing revenue

implications!

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS:

• Especially good for clean ups

• Added value as an in-kind contribution for match

funding

ACCESS TO GRANT FUNDING:

• Can Partnership or Community Affiliate quality for

other funding

• e.g. Heritage Lottery, Groundwork, L.E.P

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE / SERVICE GROUPS

• Joint working on events. Available property for

short/medium term occupation & office equipment

Prioritising objectives looks at what is cost

effective, realistically affordable & value for

money

ENCOURAGING ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

IN THE PARTNERSHIP

“The Squeakiest Wheels Get the Most Oil”

Project Workings Groups – benefit or talking shops?

• Business Networking & Newsletter

• Social & Fundraising

• Partnership Profile – accessibility: premises, phone, web

• Outreach – liaison with & involvement of community

groups especially Youth & Service Groups (Rotary,

Round Table, Lions etc.)

DEVELOPING ACTION PLANS & SETTING APPROPRIATE

TARGETS

From a SWOT analysis / Business Survey/ Shoppers Survey

• Vision Statement

• Objectives

• Establish priorities

• Assess achievability

ACTION PLAN – can identify all the problems but the TOWN

CENTRE PARTNERSHIP is not necessarily the panacea for

all ills but it can provide the driving force to ensure certain

issues are pushed up the agenda of the responsible body.

-SHORT-TERM OBJECTIVES - the quick win!

Has immediate impact and boost to morale which may

lead to further participation. Examples: graffiti, fly

posting, flowers, Christmas lights

-MEDIUM-TERM OBJECTIVES - Examples: building

up an events programme, retail crime issues, markets,

business training, town guide

-LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES – may involve working

with statutory bodies whose timescale is not immediate!

Examples: traffic calming, new development,

refurbishment of a particular area

K.P.I’s

Difficult to measure in an open town but look at:

• Number of events

• Vacant floorspace/rental levels

• Investment in refurbishment (shopfronts,

shopfitting, etc) as well as development

• Footfall – basic figures achievable

• Sales trends

• Car park ticket sales

• Crime Figures

• Employment Rates

• Public transport usage

COMMUNICATIONS

• Brand the Partnership

- Inextricably linked with building a robust partnership small and

medium towns have funding issues

• Logo on everything and anything!

• High visibility – Hitchin Initiative has shop front premises –

evolving role – Advantages and disadvantages

• Be prepared to help and hi-jack! Lack of own resource means we

facilitate/encourage and participate with others on high profile

events and so stamp our i.d. on them – Hitchin Festival (Arts

Groups); Health Awareness Day (PCT); Pancake Races (Rotary);

Fairtrade Fair; Recycling Day; Speciality Markets, Food Festival,

Fashion Show etc

• Constant drip of information – local newspaper column,

co-operative advertising, Business Newsletter, Council

publications, notice boards, local radio

• Town Centre Partnership as an Agenda item on each

relevant Council meeting

• Monthly Steering Group

• Annual Report to Members – Formal meeting but encourage

more regular informal get-togethers

• Regular contact with Civic groups – talks to community

organisations, schools etc.

• Website – iphone app

MEANWHILE USE

Community space

Riverside Market

Recycling Scheme

You have to be an optimist and you need

to make it fun!

Your enthusiasm is a key element!

‘People who say it can’t be done should

not interrupt people doing it’

Chinese proverb

Keith Hoskins

Tel: 01462 453335

E-mail: info@htci.org.uk