Future Bath Plus
Future Bath Plus is a
partnership between Business West and Bath and North East Somerset
Council.
It exists to oversee
the management of the City Centre and the organisation of tourism
and cultural activities, aiming to increase economic prosperity and
making the most effective use of the resources provided by both the
public and private sectors.
Background: The creation of Future Bath Plus grew
out of a spirit of willingness from both the private and public
sectors, represented by Bath Chamber of Commerce and Initiative and
Bath and North East Somerset Council, to work together to
achieve improvements which will benefit business, residents and
visitors.
There is a widespread desire to enhance
the appearance of the City and the surrounding area and an
enthusiasm to pursue a more effective and co-ordinated approach to
the management of Tourism and Cultural events.
A great opportunity exists to promote
civic pride, improve the economy, benefit the environment and
evolve new ways of making the most from available resources
Governance: Future Bath
Plus is a company limited by guarantee, jointly owned by Bath and
North East Somerset Council and GWE Business West. The Council has
full access to information and FBP will report to the Overview and
Scrutiny Panel to ensure the activities are part of the proper
democratic process.
Management Structure: The
main Board of Future Bath Plus will provide leadership and set the
strategic direction of travel, overseeing the activity the City
Centre Management Partnership Board and the work of Bath Tourism
Plus.
The Future Bath Plus Main Board is chaired by
Colin Skellett, Chairman and Chief Executive of Wessex Water who
sits alongside other directors from both the private and public
sectors.
Short term: The first
priority was to appoint a City Centre Manager whose role was to
tackle urgent issues and improve first impressions. Andrew Cooper
was identified as the appropriate experienced, credible negotiator
with an imaginative approach to problem solving and he has made a
promising start.
Medium Term: Future Bath
Plus will play an increasingly proactive role in City Centre
Management, Tourism and Cultural activities and had an input into
the production of the next series of business plans. The primary
objectives are to ensure best value is gained from public money, to
identify areas of mutual co-operation and to extend the range of
activities.
Long Term: There is every
reason to be optimistic that over the next five years the
influence of Future Bath Plus will be seen over a wide front,
for example, resulting in a range of improvements in the public
realm, the reduction of the fear of crime and the development of a
seamless transition from day time to night time economy.
Funding: In the first
instance, pump priming finance has come jointly from the local
authority and the private sector. However, over time there will be
opportunities to use both public and private money more effectively
and imaginatively.
For more information about Future Bath Plus,
contact Ian Bell – 01275 333128 or email