Who are Falkirk Delivers?

The Falkirk town centre is a Business Improvement District (BID).

 

What is a BID? A BID is a geographically defined area, where businesses come together and agree to invest collectively in projects and services that the businesses believe will improve their trading environment.

 

Falkirk Delivers was voted for by the businesses in Falkirk town centre with the aim of managing the BID and delivering projects and services that improve the trading environment of the Falkirk town centre area.

 

We are a not-for-profit company led by a board of directors from Falkirk town centre businesses with representatives from retail, hospitality, media, transport, and financial services as well as the Falkirk Council.

What we do with your levy

The company is funded by a levy payment from businesses in the town centre based on the rateable value of their property.

 

In return for your levy, we will deliver new and additional projects, events and services to drive footfall and help improve the trading environment for businesses of the BID area, these initiatives do not replace the statutory services offered by Falkirk council and other public bodies, but aim to compliment them.

Statutory services provided by Falkirk Council

• Installation, management and maintenance of basic street lighting

• Road, footpath and drain maintenance (including snow and ice clearance/gritting)

• Basic grounds maintenance and street cleaning/litter collection

• Standard, chargeable commercial refuse collection

• Planters and shrubbery in designated areas

• Maintenance of street furniture/public conveniences

• Planning and Building Standards

Statutory services already provided by Police Scotland

• Emergency and non-emergency call response

• Community support and engagement to keep people safe

• Deal with anti-social behaviour and licensing issues, in partnership with Falkirk Council

What we do with your levy

The company is funded by a levy payment from businesses in the town centre based on the rateable value of their property.

 

In return for your levy, we will deliver new and additional projects, events and services to drive footfall and help improve the trading environment for businesses of the BID area, these initiatives do not replace the statutory services offered by Falkirk council and other public bodies, but aim to compliment them.

Statutory services provided by Falkirk Council

• Installation, management and maintenance of basic street lighting

• Road, footpath and drain maintenance (including snow and ice clearance/gritting)

• Basic grounds maintenance and street cleaning/litter collection

• Standard, chargeable commercial refuse collection

• Planters and shrubbery in designated areas

• Maintenance of street furniture/public conveniences

• Planning and Building Standards

Statutory services already provided by Police Scotland

• Emergency and non-emergency call response

• Community support and engagement to keep people safe

• Deal with anti-social behaviour and licensing issues, in partnership with Falkirk Council

How our objectives help local businesses

Falkirk Delivers support Town Centre businesses in many ways with key voted-upon objectives for the 2016-2021 period being:

 

Promote  – We will market Falkirk as a dynamic and exciting place to live, shop and work

 

Enhance – Maintain the towns attractiveness and cleanliness

 

Work – Create and maintain collaborative working partnerships to benefit the Town Centre

 

Ensure – Falkirk meets and exceeds expectations as  visitor destination

 

Identify – Seek funding streams, including establishing a social enterprise

 

Inspire – Inspire visitors to enjoy the town from day to night.

 

Create – Create an environment in which businesses are informed and integrated and represented.

How our initiatives help local businesses

The objectives above can be achieved through some of the initiatives we already deliver such as:

 

Business support & guidance

 

  • Providing Small Business Grants
  • Providing new businesses with welcome packs containing relevant information
  • Businesses start up help and advice
  • A liaison between council and businesses to help resolve any issues, working closely with Rates and Business Gateway to provide business support.
  • Funding – Lobbying and pursuing for funding for businesses and town centre initiatives.
  • Practical courses – Working with Business Gateway to provide practical and relevant training courses for BID Levy paying businesses.

 

Improving the town centre environment for businesses

 

  • Organising events and marketing the Town Centre to drive and increase footfall.
  • A town centre pub watch group
  • Being a key partner in the Visit Falkirk group to drive tourism footfall to the town centre
  • Street Ambassadors to ensure a safe and friendly town centre environment
  • Town Centre Handyman to provide a quick action remedies to issues such as graffiti
  • Safe and secure initiatives such as Safer Streets/Safezone, Safebase and Radio link

Rates and financial advice

Falkirk Delivers has established an extremely good rapport and working relationship with Falkirk Councils Sundry accounts department – we can help with any issues our businesses may be having and work as a liaison between both parties.

 

Falkirk Delivers have also created a partnership with Business Gateway to ensure our businesses have access to information that will help them navigate rates and financial advice.
We offer a cost-saving initiatives (gas, electricity, waste, telecommunication) partnership with Eyebright, where an adviser can discuss ways of reducing your businesses outgoings.  Eyebright can be contacted on 0141 212 8909 or via email at enquiries@eyebrightutilities.co.uk

Funding, grants, training

Falkirk Delivers can provide funding for shop front enhancement for local businesses through our small business grants scheme.

 

We have also created a calendar of workshops with business gateway for training that is relevant to running a businesses. Training sessions are spread across the year at various times to try and accommodate all businesses. We promote any additional webinars and online resources that may be of value to our business community.

 

The central aim of Falkirk Delivers is to secure additional funding to deliver more projects that make a positive impact for the local businesses and the wider community. This additional funding will allow for the extension of existing projects as well as the creation of new projects.

How can I get involved/help?

Falkirk Delivers have created a business community through a private group to encourage the businesses of the town centre to come together to encourage investment and people to make Falkirk their destination of choice. Contact us at info@falkirkdelivers.com for more information.

 

We encourage businesses to speak to us to discuss their needs, requirements and ideas.  Falkirk Delivers have an open door policy for our office and encourage businesses to pop in to have a chat and discuss how we can work together to improve Falkirk’s trading environment.