Final Report by Bewdley Development Trust
Contents
Covering Letter Reports on Projects, Results and Achievements 1. Mutli-use Facility and redevelopment of the library/medical centre/St. Georges Hall 2. Business Units 3. Events and Marketing 4. Training and Consultancy 5. Woodfuel and local energy Lessons learnt Planned future activities Income and Expenditure Appendices Annual Report and Accounts Full list of projects undertaken by Bewdley Development Trust
Cover : Caption
Covering Letter
1. Mutli-use Facility and redevelopment of the library/medical centre/St. Georges Hall As reported last year, this project has become increasingly complex, with issues arising that have required plans to be modified.We have continued to make progress however and remain hopeful that funding and other approvals will be secured in the near future.
The PCT has approved the redevelopment of the Medical Centre
Advantage West Midlands (AWM) has confirmed the high priority given to the project and has approved funding of £800,000 subject to the outcome of the CSR on 20/10/2010
Community Builders have provided a feasibility grant of £19,000 with a view to agreeing a £500,000 grant and loan package. Repayment of the loan has been factored into the business plan
Worcestershire County Council (WCC) has approved the redevelopment of the Library
There is a clear and agreed Forward Programme with a timetable set out by Matrix Medical, who are both the developer An aerial view of the Load Street and project manager. The Business Plan has been revised for new enhancements and refinements
Development and the existing St George’s Hall
Planning approval has not yet been applied for. However, agreement has been secured with Wyre Forest District Council (WFDC) to seek planning permission for St George’s Hall separately from the remainder of the development, which is likely to streamline the process and support approval. Community Builders had agreed to consider a further £50,000 grant to cover the costs of the planning application alongside the main investment bid, but has now agreed to consider the grant in advance. Achievements/Results We have made good progress in this complex and ambitious project, particularly in the current economic climate.The final approvals have not yet been confirmed but we are optimistic of a positive outcome, especially in light of the achievements so far.The complexity of the project and the changes in the financial position and the new government’s emerging polices have required the project to be amended.This has been dome without sacrificing its aims and integrity. In case the approvals and funding are not all forthcoming, we are developing fall back plans that will enable some progress towards our aims.
2. Business Units 28
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We reported last year that a change of approach by Wyre Forest District Council (WFDC) prevented the planned acquisition of the craft centre, which was sold to a commercial developer. Despite this setback, we have continued to explore possibilities for the Red Cross and WRVS sites with some success:
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We still have an option to purchase the Red Cross site until April 2012 and the owners of the adjoining WRVS site are interested. We are also asking WFDC to transfer the Initial plan of redevelopment of the Red Cross and WRVS sites freehold of the Red Cross site to BDT. A scheme is being worked up for a planning application with Community Housing Group to develop social/affordable housing and business units. Lower Lo wer Park House
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Our partnership with WFDC has become stronger, and the Council is keen to explore with us whether there are any other properties in its possession that could be transferred to us to enable development of relevant services as well as contributing income to the trust to support its sustainability.
We are also actively exploring the feasibility of a shop in the town centre that would offer display and selling space to local artists and crafts people and local food suppliers, as well as providing us with the opportunity for closer engagement with our community, including facilitation of advice and support for local businesses by local businesses. This idea is being developed through the Business Artist impression of transforming empty shop into Partnership we have established.The Partnership a resource for local artists and provide support to already has more than 70 members, around 20 of whom attend Partnership meetings on a regular basis. Achievements/Results The withdrawal of the original agreement by the District Council to sell the Lax Lane Craft Centre site to the Trust has meant that a main plank of the Trust’s income generating strategy through building community assets was removed. A revised scheme using the adjoining sites has been commenced, but the timescale for the realisation of the scheme has been put back. The revised scheme would still include the development of affordable housing of which there is a shortage in Bewdley. Evidence from other market towns suggests that this is still a viable model for Bewdley, particularly as it has considerable numbers of home-based workers, particularly in the creative and visual arts sector.
3. Events and Marketing Following on from the successful events we reported last year, we have continued and extended our programme of events, and are increasingly developing these to maximise their beneficial impact on local businesses and the wider economic, environmental and social benefits to the town. The Business Partnership mentioned above is becoming more engaged in the events programme. It is helping us to support and extend the impact of events initiated by other parties, for example the Severn Valley Railway, especially the 1940s weekend, and a Quilting Festival run by a local business.
The Severn Valley Railway’s 1940s weekend has been extended into the town and supported by shops and Bewdley Museum
Discover Bewdley now in its fifth year. It is more and more seen as a partnership event, particularly with the museum, with which we have an excellent relationship, and our creative residents who are bringing unique and replicable features such as our Snakes and Ladders game which took people around the town.
We accessed £10,000 from RDPE (Rural Development Programme for England) to promote the programme of events enabling more professional marketing of the town.
A giant dice was used to play snakes and ladder around the town . Feedback to what is believed to be a unique event was extremely positive.
The first Autumn Festival entitled “Harvest Fair” has been held to celebrate local produce, towards our intention to build niche events linked to long term sustainability of the town – energy, food, cultural activities and engagement with the community. This has been developed in conjunction with Bewdley Museum and they registered nearly 3,000 people for the two days which shows the pilot event has been very successful. A review meeting is planned and likely to result in a repeat event next year. The first Autumn Festival which attracted nearly 3,000 visitors included horse drawn vehicles
We have helped to increase the corporate hospitality and family friendliness of the Regatta, and there is potential to develop these further. For example, we were planning with the rowing club a gala dinner with James Cracknell who unfortunately pulled out. The extent of good media coverage and demand for tickets indicate that this type of event would be welcomed
We are exploring the feasibility of a Community Share Issue to purchase vacant shops and redevelop them in ways that add value for residents and visitors while increasing the sustainability of the trust.
Bewdley’s Regatta is one of the largest in the UK
Subject to the outcome of the feasibility referred to above, we hope that our shop front – the Discover Bewdley shop – will have a rolling programme of displays related to events involving local groups such as Bewdley Open Studios. May & June
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The trust has excellent links with the community magazine for Bewdley. This 60 page monthly magazine is delivered to every household in the own (5,000) and every issue includes a full page of Bewdley Development Trust page which highlights the forth coming major events that take place in and around the community.
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Achievements/Results The Trust’s role has been to develop the range and quality of events which enhance economic, social and environmental activity within the town, and contribute to the marketing of its distinctive offer. We expect events to become self financing and, where possible, to generate income.
We are well advanced in our aim to develop and market a calendar of events which characterise Bewdley’s distinctive offer, and which increase both the footfall and amount spent locally by residents and visitors.
BDT was selected as a regional pilot for a new web-based community information and consultation system being developed in Pembrokeshire, and supported by NESTA and the Ministry of Justice, amongst others, called Local Eyes.This is a digital tool that aimed to offer everyone a comprehensive view of their community and a variety of easy ways to interact with it.We hoped this would be a medium for enhancing our community anchor role and creating an opportunity individuals and groups to share ideas, resources and local decisionmaking in terms of the economic, social and environment development of the area. . However, the pilot, whilst demonstrating the viability of the approach, led to concerns that the necessary software development and support for LocalEyes could not be guaranteed, leading to a loss of confidence in the product.We are looking at alternative ways of providing the type of web based communication system we need.
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4. Training and Consultancy We have completed the activities we noted in our report last year. We have completed the shop front scheme for Stourport under contract from WFDC building on work done earlier in Bewdley In addition, with the encouragement of the Business Partnership, we organised a training workshop for local businesses on identifying their training needs, leading to a workshop on exploiting internet marketing and trading opportunities. Several shop fronts have benefitted from schemes completed by the Trust
Achievements/Results The Trust is seeking to develop Bewdley’s capacity for generating economic, social and environmental benefits.Through our work we are identifying expertise and are seeking to build upon our achievements in sharing and disseminating this expertise, and also to exploit its income generating potential.
5. Training and Consultancy Progress has continued since our last report.We have: been funded through a contract with Grow with Wyre to carry out feasibility studies into a variety of woodfuel boiler locations including community buildings, schools, and a golf course. 2 boilers installed and working and 4 approved
carried out a feasibility study on the roles that renewables could play in the Load Street development funded by Energy4 All and carried out by Marches Energy Agency resulting in a recommendation to install solar PV panels on the roof to generate electricity and collect Feed in Tariffs.
been contracted by Grow with Wyre (£27,000) to develop Low Carbon Communities which involves workshops for local communities, low carbon champions and engagement with schools to develop a number of low carbon advocates supported the establishment of Transition Bewdley which currently has three working groups – Energy, Food and Land.
One of a number of popular workshops on encouraging local people to reduce their carbon footprint.
been contracted (£54,000) by Grow with Wyre for the delivery of the Selling the Wyre project. Further details are set out on the attached sheet
One page summary to be supplied
Lessons Learnt The trust finds that it is continuously learning and developing in light of its experience. Our main learning points include the following:
Recognising, but not being daunted by, the complexity of projects such as the provision of multiuse community facilities. The range of partners involved has emphasised the importance of active partnership working to develop strong and productive relationships, looking for areas of common interest and win-win situations.
Awareness that it takes a lot of energy to keep partnerships together – we can never take them for granted
A strong Chairman is crucial to a formal partnership. Chairmanship from Yvonne Leishman, Managing Director of the Community Housing has been crucial to the progress made towards the redevelopment of which St George’s Hall is a part.
Funding cannot be assumed; funding priorities change and we need to be alert to the possibility of funding being withdrawn and to new funding opportunities. The aims of the trust guide us in what we aim to achieve using the resources available.
As well as having clarity of vision and aims, BDT’s team of staff and directors are tenacious. We have stuck with projects that will make a significant impact on our aims while there is any hope of their successful realisation.
Advice and support is critical. We have had fantastic support throughout from AWM and from the Development Trusts Association (DTA).
It is important to find common ground with other organisations, particularly local authorities. In a three tier area such as Bewdley it takes time and effort to work closely with all the local councils, but this engagement is bearing fruit, with councils seeing us as an organisation with which they can do business. The current political and financial climate means that we will, increasingly, be working with the County Council, though we worry that the formal partnership arrangements will provide a small organisation like ours little opportunity to be involved. Where possible, we have introduced opportunities for giving young people work experience, paid if possible. We have benefitted from the input from young people, for example in the review of our web based information and the Local Eyes pilot.
Three of the young people who have been provided with work experience, one of whom has already taken up a full time post with a Bewdley based IT company.
Planned future activities Although this is the final year of our funding, we expect that you will be interested to know how our future plans have been enabled by the support that you have been provided. Through the appointment of three additional trustees the trust has been strengthened and the range of skills and expertise available has been extended. This has led to some new thinking which the board discussed and developed at a recent workshop and this is reflected in our emerging plans for the future. Some of these have been referred to throughout the report, where we have indicated ways in which our ideas and plans are shaping up, based on our experience The key points are summarised below.
The development of the multi-use community facility will remain an area of focus and priority. If the expected funding is forthcoming, we will be engaged in the complex task of working with our partners to secure its realisation. If there are gaps in the funding or approvals we will be developing alternative plans that achieve as much as possible of our aims
The government’s support for the Big Society, together with reductions in public expenditure will provide opportunities for the trust, which we intend to exploit. We will be helped by our strong and developing relationships with Local Authorities which see us as a credible and effective partner. We are considering how best to develop Bewdley as a “model community” with more active, friendly and engaged residents from the range of communities.
The relatively new Business Partnership will be developed under the trust’s leadership to support collaboration and mutual support to benefit individual businesses, the town’s economy and the experiences of visitors and residents
Our expertise in bringing partnerships together will develop mutual benefit from events and activities arranged in the town.We will help to widen the beneficiaries of attractions such as Severn Valley Railway and the Regatta
We will continue to take a leading role in developing the markets for local produce; as well as the work of local artists and crafts people.We will investigate the feasibility of a Discover Bewdley shop as a key element of this work and will also look into bidding to run the Discovery Centre in the Wyre Forest when the contract comes up for tender.
Planned future activities continued In response to local businesses we will support the development of internet trading,
A key priority from a recent board workshop is the development of the Bewdley website.The Website which was redeveloped and relaunched last December and is being used to promote local events, local services now needs a further development to be more dynamic and relate more closely to the Business Partnership as well as generating some income
We are considering how best to engage more young people in the work of the trust, and how the trust can support the development of facilities for young people.We see opportunities for benefits from great collaboration between the trust and local schools. We will seek to acquire property and other assets to develop opportunities for Bewdley as well as making the trust financially sustainable.We see a role in facilitating affordable housing which is in short supply.
Our vision for training and consultancy in the future is being shaped with the Business Partnership, exploring the sharing of expertise to secure sustainable support to existing businesses as well as encouraging new ones.We will also seek to offer employment opportunities for local residents which offer development, and encourage businesses to do the same.
Income and Expenditure
Appendix 1 Annual Report and Accounts
Appendix 2 Full list of projects undertaken by Bewdley Development Trust
List with pics where possible
List with pics where possible