BID Board Meeting Notes and Actions – Nov 6 2018

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Tuesday 6 November, Premier Travel @5.30pm – DRAFT NOTES & ACTIONS

Attended: (Members) Ian Hudson (Oshe, SWBID Director) , Lucy Clarke (Premier Travel SWBID Director to-be), Claire Hunnable (SW Building Society SWBID Director), Shara Vickers (Tela, SWBID Director to-be) , (non-members) Simon Jackson (UDC), Cllr Barbara Light (UDC), Fiona Bates (SWBID Ops), Louise Scutt-Richter (SWBID Ops)

Apologies: Jim Brewin (Waitrose SWBID Director & Chair), Julie Redfern (Beauty Box, SWBID Director to-be), Paul Fairhurst (FMC), Craige Quantin (GQ Design SWBID Director to-be), Richard Booth (Adams Harrison), Nicola Brooks (Brooks Designer Clothes), Gary Hyams Support for SIght, SWBID Director), Cllr Howard Ryles, UDC SWBID Director to-be)

  • Sign off minutes from Oct 2 meeting (JB)
    • Approved
  • BID Company details, M&A, bank, vat reg and insurance (IH)
    • Saffron Walden Business Improvement District Ltd (limited by guarantee) Company # 11643749 registered on Oct 25 at Companies House, Bank account at Lloyds in progress, VAT registration and insurance etc to follow
  • Directors and nominated directors
    • four directors listed to register the company (Jim Brewin, Claire Hunnable, Ian Hudson, Gary Hyams) and six others to follow
  • Proposed Terms of Ref and Financial procedures, MO
    • IH drafted and circulated before the meeting a Draft Terms of Reference for the BID Board. Its drawn from the Golf Club document with input from Gary Reeves suggestions.  Its not a legal document but to be guidelines for the modus operandi of the Board.  The legal specifications are in the Articles and Memorandum held at Companies House with the registration document.
    • General comments and feedback included;
      • Add in timing of meetings eg 1/4ly
      • Include a description of the way to deal with non-members/director’s eg reps from the Council at meetings and taking a vote.
      • Highlighted the fact that to-date, decisions have been made through group discourse ending in agreement rather than having to take a vote (counting hands). It was agreed this is the way the Board wants to continue operate
      • Setting up committees to drive operations who are empowered to make decisions, own a budget and will report to the Board. It is the intention of the BID Board that these committee will comprise; a couple of directors and BID Members will be encouraged to take part, and the BID manager.   Recruitment will be managed by the Board
      • Add to the Finance committee the need to liaise with UDC and attend Monitoring meetings
      • Regarding procurement, it was noted that it needs to be made clear that where ever possible, services will be sought from providers SW, but to acknowledge there will be times there is a need to look further afield.
      • Regarding budget and sign off levels on spend – it was recommended that a procedure is put in place. This needs to be articulated and agreed
      • It was pointed out that there must be learnings from other BIDs in a similar situation. It was noted that the input already provided by Gary Reeves (GJR Management) counts for some of this because he has been involved with BIDs from the very beginning (early 2000’s) and has advised Government on policies and procedures.

ACTION: All to review, and look at MO docs from other BIDs to see if there is anything missing here.  Feedback comments to Ian by November 25 with the view to sign off at the next meeting

  • Updates (LSR/FB)
    • Levy payment – these are in process with 1/3 outstanding.   There will be an official follow up letter from UDC sent this week (Nov 5) to current non-payers
    • Christmas events – All events proposed and approved at the last meeting are in play. FB/LSR working on all aspects. It was noted there is a slight uplift of previously estimated costs in the budget provided, It was also noted that this will be monitored closely making sure the directors are aware as we progress.
      • UDC Christmas Parking offers (SJ) – Noted free after 3pm from Nov 25 (Light switch on) and all day between Christmas and new year. It will be promoted on the ticket machines and posters around town.  Simon also flagged   that UDC are installing new ticket machines for the car parks. A request was made that the BID would be represented at the table.  ACTION: Simon J to follow up on BID attendance
    • Other updates: Business Watch (SV),
      • Shara V shared an update following the meeting she was invited to by Kemi Badenoch to discuss ideas for town centre businesses to address security concerns. One such was to set up a WhatsApp group for businesses to share alerts/concerns in real time.  There would be a need for training around GDPR, what info can be shared with whom etc.
        •  Noted that has linked in with James Graham (Local PCSO) who is keen to come to a BID meeting (probably an Open Meeting to start with)
        • Updated on the meeting with Witham (industrial) BID where the focus is security and have been extremely successful.  Now going for 3rd term (Yes vote – 1st 52%, 2nd 95%)

ACTION: Shara V to create first draft of proposal for BID involvement/creating WhatsApp group and training elements to table at next Board meeting

  • Date of next meeting – potentially December 4th TBC
  • POSTPONED TO NEXT MEETING: Communication strategy (LSR), MI Permit promotion (LSR), recruitment for BID manager (JB)