The joint initiative between Andover Town Council, Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council have today (Tuesday 4th February) announced they are looking “to contract with someone to provide town centre management for Andover over the next 3 years“.
The letter (copy below) invites expressions of interest until the end of February that will be followed by a formal tender stage in March.
Letter of Interest
Andover Town Centre Management Opportunity
We are seeking informal expressions of interest from individuals or companies to provide a town centre management service for Andover. Andover is a market town located in the picturesque borough of Test Valley and is home to many household companies. The town is set to grow with several large scale housing developments and new businesses bringing greater numbers to the area.
Andover is facing the challenge of meeting the needs of this new influx of residents and businesses. The town centre also faces an era of changing shopping habits and an increase in demand for leisure facilities. To help meet this challenge, Test Valley Borough Council hosted an Andover Summit which brought together a number of core partners and key interested parties from within the town. The aim of the summit was to identify actions to increase footfall and enhance the vibrancy of the town centre.
One of the key outcomes from the summit, supported by further research with local businesses, was that town centre management was an important ingredient in the drive to reinvigorate the town. This will take forward work that has already begun on other actions identified at the summit to ensure the continued vibrancy and vitality of the town.
Andover Town Council, Hampshire County Council and Test Valley Borough Council are together contributing £27,900 per annum for three years to fund this management service.
Representatives from each of these organisations will form the Andover Town Centre Management Board. It is anticipated that in future representatives of town centre businesses may join the Board.
The town centre management role, based on 22 hours a week, will include the preparation and implementation of an action plan for the town. This will need to be developed in collaboration with local businesses and organisations with the common aim of enhancing the town centre to encourage footfall. The action plan will also need to demonstrate its sustainability beyond the initial three years.
The Board is now seeking expressions of interest prior to issuing a formal tender. The outcome will be to commission an individual or company to provide a town centre management service, initially for a period of up to three years. Informal expressions of interest should be received by Friday 28 February. Interested parties should contact Emma Silverton on 01264 368106 or esilverton@testvalley.gov.uk for more information.
Further information on the work of the Andover Summit can be found on the Borough Council’s website at:http://www.testvalley.gov.uk/business/towncentremanagement/andover-town-centre-summit/
There is only one person that I think is absolutely right for the job and that is Mark Lazenby, former chairman of the Andover carnival committee and someone who has the good of Andover at the heart of his thinking.
This has got David Harber’s name written all over it. He’s passionate about Andover and has been vocal about “town centres don’t manage themselves” for over two years. He is known and respected by business, TVBC and non-profit organisations. He has done more either directly or indirectly for Andover businesses than any other non-political individual. Without any personal benefit, he’s been committed to supporting local business, events and profile. I think he’d be the perfect appointment.
Both sound like candidates to be considered. There is plenty of time for them to get more information and register their interest. Guess you will need to get on to them.
I agree, Ben!
Hi guys
I think we are all missing a trick here – David Harber, x The Breeze would be perfect for this role, he’s been a strong supporter of local businesses and has a wealth of knowledge about the town/town issues and knows most of us in Andover! I think he should apply! Lesley-Ann, Cartridge and Print World, 6 Bridge Street, Andover.
I would like to recommend David Harber for the position of Town Centre Manager.
David is passionate about local business marketing and is already well known in Andover for championing Andover businesses, local business interests, and reliable local marketing campaigns. Living and working in Andover for over two years he has established numerous lasting relationships in the business community thanks to his personable nature and business acumen.
When David left his position at The Breeze last November his loss was felt acutely by members of the Andover Informal Business Networking Evening because David is regarded as an irreplaceable asset to the town who had a distinctive gift for bringing people together, cultivating a sense of community despite diverse business interests, and improving the economic health of the town through his work with local businesses. If Test Valley Borough Council are looking for passion, energy and commitment as well as a sound background in business and marketing, David is an excellent choice for Andover Town Centre Manager.
With David in the role I would feel very confident and optimistic about the future of Andover Town indeed. And as a local business owner and trustee of the Test Valley Arts Foundation I would welcome the opportunity to support him in furthering the economic and cultural interests of the town as well as strengthen the relationships between local businesses and organisations.
I totally agree with your comments, I too think David would be perfect for this position – please lets all get behind him and support him for this role.
I agree I can’t think of a better Ambassador for Andover Town Centre .David Harber is an ideal candidate for this position with his strong links and personal contacts with businesses in and around Andover ,being well known and an avid supporter of charity events and alike also his vast knowledge of enhancing business awareness and advertising.
This is what Andover Town Centre needs at the moment Reinvigorating and promoting to increase footfall to secure present and future shop holders prospects.
I totally agree with you Alan, David would be perfect and would like to see him back working and supporting us.
Hi I agree with many of the comment above about David Harber. He has an excellent knowledge of the existing business community and is really passionate about Andover. He already has many many contacts in the town and I think he would make an excellent Town Centre Manager. Mark Simmonds. Cartridge and Personalised Print World, 6 Bridge St, Andover
David Harber would be an inspired choice as Andover’s Town Centre Manager. When you add-up all his skills and achievements turning the Andover Breeze into the success it had become, you quickly realise how these valuable skills could really benefit the whole town – excellent communication skills, business savvy, team builder, high achiever marketing professional, not to mention his established network within the town covering businesses and community links. He would be superb!
What will aTown Centre Manager do? The term manager infers that you have some powers or staff. 22 hours a week would seem to say the position is not only part time but has little functional use. It could be said that the wasting of monies on producing plans and relationships that have no prospect of making any difference is costly and counter productive.
The Town Council, Borough Council and County Council have take responsibility for their own management they have to agree what they what to happen and put in place a fully integrated and funded solution to achieve this. Playing politics making up meaningless positions is just an easy way of kicking the issues into the long grass.
For true change to happen will take some fundamental changes in local government policy. No powerless manager will achieve this Free Parking, dynamic and relaxation of planning constraints and the release of council owned land for development ( without the profiteering by the councils that has happened on our industrial estates causing them to be the waste lands that they have become).
The power is there and a little less talking, a lot less amateur politicing, a bit more accountability and some true direction from our elected officials is the only way we will see change.