Forum Topic

What is Positively Putney BID?

I thought it would be helpful to share with the forum what a Business Improvement is and more specifically Positively Putney BID, and what we deliver. A Business Improvement District (BID) is a business-led organisation in a defined geographical area where local businesses have voted to invest collectively to improve their environment. BIDs are funded by a mandatory levy on all eligible businesses following a successful ballot. Businesses vote based on a business plan which clearly sets out what additional services will be provided. It also details the size and scope of the BID, who is liable for the levy, the amount of levy to be collected and how it is calculated.The local authority electoral services manages the ballot process. For the ballot to be successful it has to meet two tests: more than 50% of votes cast must be in favour of the BID and the ‘yes’ vote must represent more than 50% of the aggregate rateable value of votes cast. The two measures are in place to make it fair for both independents and national businesses, big and small. The BID levy, the primary funding mechanism, becomes mandatory on all defined ratepayers and is enforceable as per business rates collection. The levy is collected by the council and then transferred to the BID Company.In Putney the first ballot was in 2016, and then again in 2021. In November 2021, 396 businesses within Putney town centre were balloted, and 204 ballot papers returned. 85% of businesses by number, 93% of businesses by aggregate rateable value with a 52% turn out voted for Positively Putney to continue for a second term. This is a fairly strong mandate that businesses felt we had done a good job in our first five-year term and wanted us to continue. The BID2 term started on 1st April 2022.The work of the Positively Putney BID is managed by me on a day-to-day basis but led by a Board of Directors. These are managers and owners of Putney businesses who give their time to provide strategic and financial guidance. Wandsworth Council and Putney Society also have a representative on the board. For this term we have divided our work into three streams.1) Promoting Putney2) Enhancing Putney3) Supporting Putney businesses For those interested our full business plan is available to read on our website www.positivelyputney.co.uk. It won't let me put a link here. I am always very happy to meet with residents to discuss issues or ideas that they have for Putney town centre. Town centres across the country are changing and adapting and we need to keep Putney town centre thriving and offering what the local people want. We do not own any property so we cannot simply bring in all your favourite businesses but we can sometimes influence landlord decisions. At the moment we have high vacancy in the town centre due to a few absent landlords, landlords waiting to develop sites and landlords waiting to sign contracts. However, we have also had many new businesses open in the last year and have lots of wonderful businesses that have survived the pandemic and would love you to spend with them.  We have a number of fun events coming up and new reasons to come into Putney. Halloween Trick or Treat on Friday 28th and Sat 29th October, Christmas light switch on Friday 25th November, and a synthetic ice rink from 26th Nov to 4th December.         I have to admit I don't often come onto this forum - but if you want to stay in touch with what we do please follow us on social media or sign up to our monthly newsletter.

Nicola Grant ● 978d13 Comments

I read today that we were expecting an Indian summer in about a week's time (seriously)!

Philippa Bond ● 973d

It's such a shame that the landlords/owners of empty sites won't allow other people to use their shops. M&S have been particularly difficult, not even allowing it to be used as a vaccine site during lockdown. They pay the rent, but refuse any discussion about anything else being done on the site. I think the same is to be said for some other empty shops. I'm not sure I understand the reasons why they prefer them to remain empty, but they do. Nothing that anyone can do about it, it seems, short of bringing in a law which prevents that.

Victoria Diamond ● 974d

just walked past the new itsu - tables 2 deep across the pavement, how stupid are these people?

Adam Tripp ● 975d

Oh dear, I apologise for missing words/poor use of English. Further proof reading required! What would still be useful is be a statement from Positively Putney with regard to the Bid's relationship with Putney residents - what the Bid can do for residents - particularly what can be done to upgrade the High Street displays which do not sit well with The Putney Bid's assertion that it enhances Putney. I am afraid the M&S display did nothing to deter rough sleepers. When the right hand display was dismantled a suitcase and a sleeping bag were discovered behind the wall of ivy and it was obvious that someone had been living there either part or perhaps full time. It is correct that I saw little need for a meeting. Positively Putney should be able to organise strategies to deal with problems that residents have raised without the need for face to face explanations. Given your comprehensive CV and experience this should not be a formidable challenge.

Miles Thompson ● 976d

Nicola - thanks for your reply. Does the Council take any financial responsibility for the street cleaning? £16,000 annual payments does not in any way seem sufficient. An overall review of all the cleaning, refuse collection and other related activities seems in order. Could PP convene a meeting to include representatives of residents. Perhaps Judith Chegwidden of the the Putney Society could use the newsletter to canvas views on what might be done.It seems M&S are closing 25% of their larger stores and expanding their M&S Simply Food branches. Perhaps they might be lured back to Putney? Have you tried? Have the Council tried? Who is the landlord?2018 is a relatively long time ago. Your efforts at brightening up the frontage become more and more bedraggled. It needs a refresh.I’m sure in local authority circles the “BID” acronym is well known, but to the ordinary person in the street it is misleading. Nor is “Positively Putney” particularly illuminating. Sorry. Even your logo fails to spell out Business Improvement District., sticking only to the BID acronym. Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 976d

Apologies that you did not like the Mr Benn trail - I think I explained to you at the time but the concept was to encourage people to explore Putney and discover places and businesses they may not know about. It was very popular amongst families, and also older people as they enjoyed remembering their younger days watching it on TV. The Mr Benn's were in place for the summer.    I think you have missed some words out in your next section so I am unable to respond. (More serious interventions by The Putney Bid have produced the most equivocal results. An attempt by The which they were so keen on have nearly seen the demise of a few residents as they only just managed to dodge vehicles!)I agree the ivy has looked better, as I have said in another response it was a temporary measure to discourage rough sleepers in the M&S doorway.  I have offered to meet you twice previously following the negative emails you sent me and discuss what you would like to see in Putney but you declined. Instead you prefer to just critcise Putney BID off on forums.

Nicola Grant ● 976d

Nick - businesses agree that the pavements are dirty. We spend £16,000 pressure washing and removing gum on the pavements a year. Our contractors come in mostly over night when the pavements are quieter. The new pavements seem to attract or show the dirt more than the old. We have asked the council to look at putting a special agent on the pavements so that dirt washes off more easily which would mean our contractors could cover more ground in each session. As you will recall the M&S store closed in April 2018. The rent is still paid by M&S so the landlord is not fussed about finding a new tenant. Wandsworth Council have offered on two occasions to take over the building. It is very frustrating - the ivy was put in as a 'temporary' measure and never anticipated it would still be a vacant unit for this long.As for our name - the Bid part stands for Business Improvement District.

Nicola Grant ● 976d

Thank you Nicola - good to hear from you. Keep up the good work!

Caroline Whitehead ● 978d

Nicola  Thank you for coming here to explain your role and that of the Putney Business Improvement District.  I attempted to show something of the system with the www.gov.uk info on the other thread as I've never been involved in one.  I always thought it was a good idea and and had a lot of things going for it and Putney's was inspirational.  It was hard work before but the last few years have really taken their toll on high streets.

Philippa Bond ● 978d

This is a clear and comprehensive explanation about The Putney Bid and what it does, the mandate concerning businesses and with a useful mention of the board of Directors. Residents do not feature in this response however. Yet, we are affected by what Positively Putney does even if we do not feature here, mostly in relation to landscape and not for the better. The first and second 'work streams' concern promoting and enhancing Putney and here is the most concern for Putney residents. How dead and dieing displays do either of these things (the bare boards which comprise what is left of Positively Putney, the tatty wall of ivy outside the old M&S building for instance) makes one wonder how promotion and enhancement of Putney High Street takes or has taken place through this organisation! Perhaps the 'fun events' mentioned fall into these categories and residents will be delighted accordingly...bringing forward Mr Benn was a recent and not very well thought out example which bemused many, his effigy tied to trees and left for months. More serious interventions by The Putney Bid have produced the most equivocal results. An attempt by The which they were so keen on have nearly seen the demise of a few residents as they only just managed to dodge vehicles!  We were certainly affected by these matters although not in a positive way even though might not feature in their remit!  I would suggest that it could be far wiser for Positively Putney to withdraw from enhancing and promoting Putney through these or similar methods (do any of their representatives view the results? Does Nicola Grant come down to Putney High Street? ) which may concern or irritate residents and concentrate entirely upon businesses where they claim such strong support.

Miles Thompson ● 978d

Nicola, thank you for your overview which is helpful. I hope you will visit the Forum more often in the future. You will have seen that the main focus of the criticisms here are the pavements. They are dirty and stained and seldom cleaned. This is not good for the businesses along the High Street in so many ways. A second concern is the apparent neglect  of the “temporary”  shop fronts such as the one outside the old M&S store. Cannot you do something about this by putting pressure on the Council.Finally a personal comment - surely the name “Putney Bid” does not in any way give any impression of what you do? Could you change it?Yours,Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 978d

Yes, thank you for posting this, Nicola.   

Michael Ixer ● 978d

Well done Nicola. I know how passionate you are about the Town Centre and how hard you've worked in your time as Town Centre and now Bid Manager.I hope the above gives people a better understanding of the BID.Nick

Nick Gulliford ● 978d