Newbury 2025 Annual Conference, 2025 Vision Options

[worried]

The council has sent out its invites for the annual Vision Conference landing on the desks of local businesses like mine today. With the new bid coming in to being, that's going to cost me a quite a few quid, will the bid board be left to get on with it or will there be another lot doing their worst to get their way, which will doubtless cost me more than a few quid too

[Grumpy]

The council has sent out its invites for the annual Vision Conference landing on the desks of local businesses like mine today. With the new bid coming in to being, that's going to cost me a quite a few quid, will the bid board be left to get on with it or will there be another lot doing their worst to get their way, which will doubtless cost me more than a few quid too

This is what worries me, we have had a quango consisting of Malcom Bull (property developer), Patrick Griffin (town designer), Jonathan Hopson (God's gift to retail) and several others including the girl from Nature's Corner who appear to have been running the town for the last 10 to 12 years calling themselves the Town Centre Steering Group. Will they continue, will they be running the BID or will they be dissolved. I understand that they are being subsidised by £30,000 from the District Council and £10,000 from the Town Council.

Salaries for the BID manager have been estimated at £40,000.00 + and his assistant at £28,000.00 +. How much of the BID money will be left for this amazing advertising campaign that we have been promised?

[worried]

This is what worries me, we have had a quango consisting of Malcom Bull (property developer), Patrick Griffin (town designer), Jonathan Hopson (God's gift to retail) and several others including the girl from Nature's Corner who appear to have been running the town for the last 10 to 12 years calling themselves the Town Centre Steering Group. Will they continue, will they be running the BID or will they be dissolved. I understand that they are being subsidised by £30,000 from the District Council and £10,000 from the Town Council.

Salaries for the BID manager have been estimated at £40,000.00 + and his assistant at £28,000.00 +. How much of the BID money will be left for this amazing advertising campaign that we have been promised?

how much ?????? !!! mind you its not much compared to Nick Carters salary 158K or Stuart Tagg of the Greenham Common charity circa £140k

[Cognosco]

This is what worries me, we have had a quango consisting of Malcom Bull (property developer), Patrick Griffin (town designer), Jonathan Hopson (God's gift to retail) and several others including the girl from Nature's Corner who appear to have been running the town for the last 10 to 12 years calling themselves the Town Centre Steering Group. Will they continue, will they be running the BID or will they be dissolved. I understand that they are being subsidised by £30,000 from the District Council and £10,000 from the Town Council.

Salaries for the BID manager have been estimated at £40,000.00 + and his assistant at £28,000.00 +. How much of the BID money will be left for this amazing advertising campaign that we have been promised?

So Newbury taxpayers are actually paying over the odds to newbury businesses and retailers?
What about those taxpayers who do not use the town for shopping as there are not the shops and facilities that they require why should their tax money be used to subsidise these shops and businesses?
Will any one who does not shop in Newbury get a rebate on council tax?

[dannyboy]

So Newbury taxpayers are actually paying over the odds to newbury businesses and retailers?
What about those taxpayers who do not use the town for shopping as there are not the shops and facilities that they require why should their tax money be used to subsidise these shops and businesses?
Will any one who does not shop in Newbury get a rebate on council tax?

Will anyone who has never called the police or the fire brigade be getting one too? What about those with no children?

[Exhausted]

I don't ever go to the recycling centre. How much will I save.

[Exhausted]

The council has sent out its invites for the annual Vision Conference landing on the desks of local businesses like mine today. With the new bid coming in to being, that's going to cost me a quite a few quid, will the bid board be left to get on with it or will there be another lot doing their worst to get their way, which will doubtless cost me more than a few quid too

When is it by the way, it's usually when everybody is at work and can't attend. No doubt it will be the same this year.

[NewburyP]

This is what worries me, we have had a quango consisting of Malcom Bull (property developer), Patrick Griffin (town designer), Jonathan Hopson (God's gift to retail) and several others including the girl from Nature's Corner who appear to have been running the town for the last 10 to 12 years calling themselves the Town Centre Steering Group. Will they continue, will they be running the BID or will they be dissolved. I understand that they are being subsidised by £30,000 from the District Council and £10,000 from the Town Council.

Salaries for the BID manager have been estimated at £40,000.00 + and his assistant at £28,000.00 +. How much of the BID money will be left for this amazing advertising campaign that we have been promised?

What are you doing to improve the town? Stop criticising everyone who puts their own time into trying to make Newbury a better place to live and work.

To the facts - the TCP has been dissolved following the successful BID ballot. The BID will be run by 17 Board members who will be elected from the BID levy payers (I assume you have already applied). The funding you mention was the previous funding of the TCP which ended this year - there will be some contribution by both Councils to the BID through the rates they pay for offices that fall within the BID area. The BID assistant is a part time position so I cannot see this as a 28k cost - you may be talking pro rata.

As an aside I have also heard that the Newbury Retail Association is to be formally made dormant whilst the BID is in place. Therefore even if you are against the BID it is the best forum to push through improvements to the town centre environment.

[Cognosco]

Will anyone who has never called the police or the fire brigade be getting one too? What about those with no children?

Essential services no problem with. BID using taxpayers money to support local retailers no! What about all the other businesses in the town not in the BID area should we not support those with taxpayers money then?

Look at it this way visitors to Newbury from other towns are getting their goods cheaper than local taxpayers who have had to subsidise the local retailers is this fair? Same as the market, people say it is cheaper than supermarkets but probably not when you take in the subsidy that the taxpayers pay for the privilege.
Retailing has cost Newbury taxpayers enough. We gave away half of Newbury already how much more is shopping in Newbury going to cost taxpayers?

[dannyboy]

Essential services no problem with. BID using taxpayers money to support local retailers no! What about all the other businesses in the town not in the BID area should we not support those with taxpayers money then?

Look at it this way visitors to Newbury from other towns are getting their goods cheaper than local taxpayers who have had to subsidise the local retailers is this fair? Same as the market, people say it is cheaper than supermarkets but probably not when you take in the subsidy that the taxpayers pay for the privilege.
Retailing has cost Newbury taxpayers enough. We gave away half of Newbury already how much more is shopping in Newbury going to cost taxpayers?

Yawn,

with the BID the ammount the taxpayers are fubnding for the town centre is less than before.


You sound like you'd like no retailling in newbury.

[Exhausted]

Yawn,

with the BID the ammount the taxpayers are fubnding for the town centre is less than before.


You sound like you'd like no retailling in newbury.

You bin down the pub ???

But yes you are right.

[dannyboy]

You bin down the pub ???

But yes you are right.

I Wish.

I gave the PA the night off. She nomally does the typing.

[Cognosco]

Yawn,

with the BID the ammount the taxpayers are fubnding for the town centre is less than before.


You sound like you'd like no retailling in newbury.

Retailing in Newbury is fine by me I just don't like to subsidise a lot of National big company chains using taxpayers moeny.
There should be no funding for the town centre what about the small shops on the estates and out of the town centre why should they not be subsidised then?
What is so special that the town centre must be subsidised by the taxpayer? Either they supply the goods and services that taxpayers want at the prices they are prepared to pay or they go bust...same as other businesses out of the bid area.

[dannyboy]

Retailing in Newbury is fine by me I just don't like to subsidise a lot of National big company chains using taxpayers moeny.
There should be no funding for the town centre what about the small shops on the estates and out of the town centre why should they not be subsidised then?
What is so special that the town centre must be subsidised by the taxpayer? Either they supply the goods and services that taxpayers want at the prices they are prepared to pay or they go bust...same as other businesses out of the bid area.

So you'd rather the cash put towards the town by the council be reduced from £30k to zero.

Hmmmm, what about the floral displays? Council provides those, but only for certain areas of the town. Why doesn't every street & road get some? Or should we cut those too?

[Cognosco]

So you'd rather the cash put towards the town by the council be reduced from £30k to zero.

Hmmmm, what about the floral displays? Council provides those, but only for certain areas of the town. Why doesn't every street & road get some? Or should we cut those too?

Yes some streets could do with a bit of livening up! Why do the taxpayers have to pay for brightening up the town centre surely the businesses should be doing that to attract the punters not the punters trying to attract themselves?
Taking your thinking slightly forward should the taxpayers subsidise the businesses by helping to pay for their window displays inside the shops as well? Purely to make them more attractive of course?

[dannyboy]

Yes some streets could do with a bit of livening up! Why do the taxpayers have to pay for brightening up the town centre surely the businesses should be doing that to attract the punters not the punters trying to attract themselves?
Taking your thinking slightly forward should the taxpayers subsidise the businesses by helping to pay for their window displays inside the shops as well? Purely to make them more attractive of course?

Now, as usual you are just being daft.

If you'd have been more attentive during the run up to the vote on the BID, you wouold have noticed that in the town centre the national retailers were conspicuous in their lack of support for the process.

So, the inides in town have voted to pay more towards promoting their town & to take a cut in council funding. Seems win-win to me. Especially as those nationals will still have to cough up regardless.

[Cognosco]

Now, as usual you are just being daft.

If you'd have been more attentive during the run up to the vote on the BID, you wouold have noticed that in the town centre the national retailers were conspicuous in their lack of support for the process.

So, the inides in town have voted to pay more towards promoting their town & to take a cut in council funding. Seems win-win to me. Especially as those nationals will still have to cough up regardless.

I would prefer they did not take a cut.....prefer they took no funding at all?

[dannyboy]

I would prefer they did not take a cut.....prefer they took no funding at all?

Ah, but surely the taxpayers should be making some contribution - after all it is their town as well. It isn't all about flogging stuff.

[Cognosco]

Ah, but surely the taxpayers should be making some contribution - after all it is their town as well. It isn't all about flogging stuff.

Ah but it is really isn't it apart from the churches, library, no museum thanks to ineptitude of local council, Victoria Park, what do you go into town for? Shops for shopping, pubs for drinking, cafe's restaurants for buying food, all to make money for the owners no? Therefore why should I or any other taxpayer pay to make the town nicer? Now if the businesses and shops want to spend some cash to make the town nicer to draw in the punters that would be quite acceptable!

[Exhausted]

Ah but it is really isn't it apart from the churches, library, no museum thanks to ineptitude of local council, Victoria Park, what do you go into town for? Shops for shopping, pubs for drinking, cafe's restaurants for buying food, all to make money for the owners no? Therefore why should I or any other taxpayer pay to make the town nicer? Now if the businesses and shops want to spend some cash to make the town nicer to draw in the punters that would be quite acceptable!

I'm sure that you are being the devil's advocate here Coggie but the town centre is the life of Newbury. It's important to ensure that the community as a whole are provided for by the quality of the services. Part of that service is to provide a focus for the inhabitants both for their leisure and for the daily things that we need to cotinue to live. I know that a considerable number of shops are on private estates, like the retail park, Tesco's, Sainsbury's and so on but you seem to believe that the shops are all take. They pay a gross amount of money in their rates so are entitled to get some of that back, by the efforts of West Berks Council for instance, making the trading centre of our town a little better than a wild west town with tumbleweed blowing down the high street if nothing is invested in it.

The shopkeepers know how important it is to attract footfall, as I think they term it, that is why they have voted to pay even more to make it a nice place not only for themselves but for you and I.

To summarise, they pay rates, they pay for the BID so their expectations could be such that they have a right to see their money going towards making the town centre thrive.