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FOI request (FOI-74233044)
Research on town centres
Requested Mon 30 April 2018
Responded Mon 21 May 2018INFORMATION UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
In accordance with the provisions specified within the Act, we request the following information, which relates to the type of support or initiatives that a local authority might be able to offer to businesses within its town centre:
- Has your authority set up a town centre commission?
- Has it established a 10-year plan?
- Do you a have a policy to locate public sector buildings in the town centre?
- Have you established the concept of a community hub for your town centre?
- Does your council provide loans to small companies?
- Does your authority subsidise business rates for charity shops?
- Does your authority require malls to provide affordable space for small traders?
- Does your town centre have a process to carry out regular health checks to assess performance?
Response
1. Has your authority set up a town centre commission? - NO2. Has it established a 10-year plan? - Our Local Plan (www.hastings.gov.uk) includes policies which direct town centre uses in accordance with national planning policy (the National Planning Policy Framework) to Hastings town centre and other retail centres around the borough. This may include public sector buildings depending on the activities and uses which are carried out within such buildings.3. Do you a have a policy to locate public sector buildings in the town centre? - NO4. Have you established the concept of a community hub for your town centre? - We have a Community Contact Centre and a separate Tourist Information Centre located in the approximate of the Town Centre.5. Does your council provide loans to small companies? - Loans for small companies are available from East Sussex County Council, please see attached link: https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/business/developing/finance/grants6. Does your authority subsidise business rates for charity shops? - Hastings Borough Council subsidise local charities for charity shops by giving a 10% discount on business rates7. Does your authority require malls to provide affordable space for small traders? - No8. Does your town centre have a process to carry out regular health checks to assess performance? - The authority works closely with the Business Improvement District and owners of the mail shopping centre to ensure it's continued survivable and growth. In addition to this our Planning Policy team undertakes an annual check of retailers and other occupiers (at ground floor level) within identified retail centres around the borough. This is part of the Local Plan monitoring process. -
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