Royston First Update - December 2018 by Royston First

Royston First UPDATE - December

2018

IT’S OFFICIAL We’re going for

the renewal ballot Two considerations predominated in the decision to continue the Royston BID for a further term: the proven effectiveness of the BID as a delivery mechanism for local projects, the absence of any other likely source of community innovation. The proposed programme for the third BID term is deliberately ambitious. It will be focused more towards Royston’s perimeter and beyond, with resources committed to attracting regional funding for key projects.

Highlights from the surveys to businesses Businesses were invited to complete a survey of key activities which they would wish to see enacted as part of the plan for a third-term BID. Responses were received from just under one-third of the number of businesses liable to pay the BID levy in the proposed third term The proposals within the Prospectus/Business Plan were entirely developed by a panel comprising of businesses within the Royston First BID area Face-to-face consultations to gather detailed input/ideas were conducted with over 50 local businesses An open survey ran via roystonfirst.co.uk during October & November 2018

Key findings from the surveys That, although the BID can point to a strong track record of achievement, much more needs to be done to communicate with businesses within the town That consideration should be given to reducing the levy percentage used during the second-term BID and to increasing the Rateable Value below which businesses would not be liable for the BID levy That a number of new projects and initiatives should be enacted to focus upon greater promotion, better events, and encouraging more commuters to stay in Royston That the BID area should be expanded to include the Tesco Extra and the new Gateway site

We have listened As a major initiative for the third BID term, it was proposed that the Royston First BID implements an entry level for BID inclusion at the £15,000 Rateable Value limit used by the Government. 85% of businesses surveyed supported this initiative Given that the Government’s 2017 rates revaluation resulted in increases in the Rateable Value of most businesses, Royston First propose a partially compensating further reduction in the BID levy multiplier to 1.5%. This initiative was supported by 92% of the businesses responding to the surveys

newal Royston First BID Re

Look out for all the ideas to make Royston a better place detailed in our Prospectus and Business Plan to be published at the end of the year.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW FACEBOOK PAGE! ”Like” it to get all our news @roystonfirst

02 Royston First | UPDATE

Projects that continue with a “YES” vote... This page shows some of the principal successes that Royston has benefited from as a result of the work of Royston First since its inception.

Town Trails S IT’ EE IN FRTO JOIN

RUDOLPH’S

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FREE GIFT from Santa!

JOIN US FOR:

Royston Town Website

Saturday 8th December

10.00am - 4.00pm Fish Hill Square

Cracker Making Christmas Pine Cone Pompom Trees Colouring and Stickers

Find the

REINDEER!

Sponsored by Royston First

Pirate Trail

Retail

The Royston Focus

The Town

Eateries

Cinema Show Reels

Collect entry forms on the day from Fish Hill Square, Royston. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all mes

Easter Trail

Parking One hour free parking via scratchcards and Free-after-3

Tourist Information Royston Information Centre and visitor guides including ‘Discover Royston’

Royston First | UPDATE 03

Potential new projects with a “YES” vote... NEW MEDIA COMMUNICATION PROJECTS n n

TOWN-WIDE INITIATIVES n

Improve business liaison Work with local pubs/hotels to more effectively promote themselves and subsequently the town

Exploit local events to include the use of Smart technology

Use social media for targeted campaigns

n n

Showcase both town and industrial estate businesses to each other

Broker a deal for a multi-storey car park, or

Investigate and deliver a park and ride system

Co-ordinate a signage project

Run a local beer, wine and cheese or food festival Reinstate the shuttle bus to run between the Royston Gateway, the industrial estate, Tesco and the town centre

TOWN CENTRE

Run a series of job fairs

Initiate a maintenance programme, including private land Implement a free-to-use dockless community bike scheme across the industrial estate and town

Shuttle bus scheme

New park-based events

Cross-promotion town centre/industrial estate

INDUSTRIAL ESTATE

Develop an incubation unit with training courses offered

n n

Nighttime illumination of landmarks Expand on the town trail with more interactive information

Nighttime illumination of landmarks

Stage events at the town’s parks Encourage local commuters to explore the town Replace the existing Christmas lights Produce a contingency plan against a large store becoming vacant

Re-instate ANPR

ANPR for the industrial estate

Multi-storey car park and/or park and ride

Dockless bike share scheme

If you are now NOT paying into the BID because of the change in threshold, you can still pay voluntarily and vote at BID meetings.

Visit roystonfirst.com to find out how!

04 Royston First | UPDATE

? e s lo u o y ld u o w t a h W TE? CONTINUE AFTER A ‘NO’ VO

PROJECTS

in the town NO Patrols would cease kend uniformed police patrols Operation Artemis - late night, wee l estates centre and around the industria Royston First majority funding partner n centre car parks after 3:00pm tow the in king par free ee Free-After-Thr n tributed r’s free parking in town centre (dis NO Scratchcards would be withdraw Parking Scratchcards – offering 1 hou centre) to businesses outside the town Pavement; Royston First jointly funds with RTC ts in the High Street and Angel Christmas Lights - cross street ligh Hall n Hill, Fish Hill Square, Tow decorations at The Cross, Market will NO Estimated cost £20K+ regulations for powered circuits Replacement Christmas Lights 2020 necessitate new lights the ateral, including: tear-off maps, Royston Information Centre - plus coll ed rten sho the ns, iatio e to clubs/assoc NO Total estimated cost £25K p.a. accommodation guide, the guid ning ope ry libra , Also de). Gui y the Trail Royston Trail guide (and possibl arch/outreach rese or visit plus gs rnin mo Thursday the Pirate the Easter Trail, the Music Trail, Annual Children’s Trails - every year NO take a ors l get several thousand visit to Trail and Rudolph’s Christmas Trai retailers detailed look at the town centre’s in 2 years and shown eating place in the town centre NO Without update unusable with Eatery film short - featuring every ndees p.a. in the cinema to 10,000 plus atte and shown NO Without update unusable within 2 years 80 retailers throughout Royston Retailer film short - featuring over ndees p.a. in the cinema to 10,000 plus atte ston, sorted all consumer businesses in Roy NO Royston Focus - a complete list of ston Roy nd arou and in olds seh hou 00 15,0 to d vere deli by trade and ket Hill, up to three times per year on Mar NO Not included in NHDC cleaning provision Pavement Deep Cleans - conducted High Street, Angel Pavement in order to own.uk - constantly maintained nce = no use Royston Town website www.roystont nds of NO No maintena g place – currently receivin thousa one in ’ ston Roy ing ryth ‘eve provide hits per month -and-Ride Bus, the Dockless Bikes, the Park New Projects - such as the Shuttle events, sed NO Nobody else will do this k-ba par new k illumination, or Multi-Storey car park, landmar etc. lobbying for an incubator unit,

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2018 n

2019

Distribution of BID review literature to all BID payers

ROYSTON F1RST c/o Town Hall Melbourn Street Royston SG8 7DA t 01763 878 242 e info@roystonfirst.com

22nd January Notification of ballot 24th January Open Day for Qs&As

11.30am – 14.30pm at the Town Hall

6pm – 7.30pm at Sartorius, York Way in the atrium area

5th February Ballot papers issued 6th March Final day of ballot 7th March Result announced

Open Day 24th January