Benchmarking+ Measuring the Economic Diversity & Wider Social Value of Town Centres

What get’s measured; get’s done!

But first... an over-baked metaphor...

...to understand variety

Focusing on process & progress Know starting point Monitor & review impact Limited to Key performance indicators (KPIs) Used alongside local planning & leadership Understanding different places Assess town function & issues Compare progress over time & place

Why measure & monitor?

Helping everyone track progress

Involve key stakeholders Keep it simple Let it be affordable Make it comparable

Bangor Holyhead

Colwyn Bay

Wrexham Caernarfon

Flint

Understanding different places & futures

Function Number of commercial units; Comparison/convenience; multiple/independent retail Shoppers’ origin

Perceptions & Issues Business perceptions; Shoppers’ perceptions;

Change Business & car park occupancy rates; Footfall; Business confidence

Monitoring the Economic Core of Towns

Sample Indicator C’narfon H’head Flint N Wales

Town Type

% Independent retailers 54% 73% 53% 50%

Length of visit (more than 1 hour) 69% 49% 83% 66%

Town Trends

Business vacancy rate 12% 18% 10% 10%

Business confidence (% reduced turnover) 30% 25% 36% 66%

Town Trajectory

Users perceptions (retail variety & quality) 22% 9% 63% 47%

Users perceptions (appearance ) 48% 34% 71% 74%

Users perceptions (leisure &culture) 37% 22% 63% 53%

Making Comparisons

Tonbridge Wells

Types of Towns

Wooler

0

5

10

15

20

25

% Vacancy 2010

Detailed & digestible data

Monitoring multi-purpose town centres

AMT (2011). Twenty First Century Town Centres.

Physical (place) Social (people) Economic (work)

Well planned, designed & maintained

Infrastructure fosters connectivity, growth & community cohesion

Availability & quality of housing across all tenures

Town centres as social & economic hubs

Access to community facilities & local services

Effective community empowerment & networks

Good health & personal safety

Thriving town centres

Strong local economies, business support, employment & investment

Learning & personal development opportunities

Recognizing Scottish priorities

Scottish Government (2010). Learning Network Report: Developing a Key Performance Framework for Your Town Scottish Government (2011). Achieving a Sustainable Future

Same key principles Core existing indicators Plus measuring breadth & depth: Cultural & community function Built heritage Economic diversity Local leadership & delivery

Developing Benchmarking+

Core Benchmarking

Retail Function

KPI 1: Total number of commercial units

KPI 2: Comparison/convenience retail KPI 3: Key attractors / multiple trader

Trends

KPI 4: Number of vacant units

KPI 5: Number of markets / traders

KPI 6: Zone A retail rents

KPI 7: Prime retail property yields

KPI 8: Footfall KPI 9: Car parking availability and usage

Perceptions and Priorities

KPI 10: Business confidence

KPI 11: Town centre users survey

KPI 12: Shoppers origin

Full Suite of Indicators

Benchmarking+

Cultural & Community Function

KPI A: Cultural Facilities (all 3 zones) KPI B: Community Services (all 3 zones) KPI C: Cultural and Community Events

Built Heritage

KPI D: Impressions score

KPI E: Number of listed buildings

KPI F: Development land

Economic Diversity

KPI G: Evening economy KPI H : Local Food and drink

KPI I: Bed spaces

KPI J: Self-reliance

Local Leadership and Delivery

KPI K: Partnership progression

KPI L: Planning and delivery

Benchmarking+ Barrhead Pilot

Benchmarking+ Colwyn Bay ‘Comparator’

Barrhead Business Confidence Survey: Better car parking not all yellow lines along Main Street. Shops on both sides of main street, not just Asda."

"Sort out Main St Alternative parking!!! Custom being driven elsewhere by overzealous wardens of yellow lines."

"Increase car parking e.g. make car park in Bank Street public again."

"Parking. Markets and events."

"Remove traffic wardens. Review rates.“

"Better car parking. Introduce a shop local campiagn"

"Something needs to be done regards parking as the last months trade has been crippled."

Overall Car Park KPIs

(car park & on-street)

Barrhead Barrhead

%

North

East %

England &

Wales %

Total Spaces 545 n/a n/a n/a

Short Stay Spaces 64 12 47 48

Long Stay Spaces 441 81 49 44

Disabled Spaces 40 7 4 4

Spaces on a Busy Day 99 18 17 25

Spaces on a Quiet Day 101 19 26 39

Core Car Parking KPI

Cultural & Community

Function

Comparing balance of ‘key attractors’ verses essential local: cultural facilities community services cultural & community events

For: town centre town edge out-of-town

Built Heritage

Reviewing balance of historic, present & future potential : listed buildings visual impression Allocated development land

Economic Diversity

Assessing town centre economic diversity beyond core retail offer:

Evening economy Food & drink Bed spaces & quality Self-reliance

Local Leadership

and Delivery

Assessing status and potential of local leadership and delivery through structured interview covering:

Town Partnership progression: the ‘F’ factors holistic town centre planning and delivery sequence

Capturing full flavour of Scotland’s Towns

Thoughts from Pilot:

Practical to measure & meaningful to compare Capture full range of town centre ingredients

What next?

Publication and stakeholder workshop with STP Additional pilots Autumn Launch of revised Benchmarking+