LOCAL traders have vowed to resurrect the Chamber of Trade instead of voting for a Business Improvement District (BID) in the town.

Former Town Mayor Nick Osbourne said he knew of more than 40 people that were happy to relaunch the Chamber of Trade as they didn’t believe the BID represented value for money.

“I have spoken with local people and there is a strong feeling that if the BID isn’t successful then a Chamber of Trade could galvanize the town, and you wouldn’t have to deal with the costs of managing it,” he said.

“It would also take into account the areas where the BID has failed to act.”

During a heated meeting to appease opponents to the BID he questioned how the money raised from the initiative would be spent and how it could benefit the town, the administration costs to run the BID, and whether there were enough supporters in the town to run the steering group.

The Business Improvement District hopes to raise around £425,000 over the space of five years to invest in the town centre.

The money, which would be raised by a two per cent levy above business rates, would be spent on improving parking and accessibility, marketing and promotion and lowering costs.

For the BID to be approved more than 50 per cent of local businesses must vote in favour at a ballot starting on February 2.

But several local traders have now opposed the BID, questioning whether the scheme, which hopes to raise around £85,000 a year, represents value for money.

Local traders Mel Griffin, from Griffin Books, Bernard Cody from his self-titled garage, Bob Jackson and his wife from Ogam Igam, Sian Fox from Foxy’s Deli, Tony Jones from ACJ Properties, and Councillor Anthony Ernest, who owns a Bed and Breakfast in the area, all attended a meeting to discuss their BID concerns at Foxy’s Deli last night (January 15).

Wasons owner Nick Osbourne said there was “apathy” in the town to the BID and that the majority of traders who had given their backing to the BID, in the proposal booklet that was recently launched, had changed their mind since they were first asked about their opinion nearly a year ago.

Mel Griffin also questioned the administration costs of the BID, saying that if someone was appointed to run it then around £15,000 of the £85,000 raised each year would already be spent.

Peter Williams, who has worked on BIDs for a decade and led the meeting, said that BID’s could be a “game changer” in towns and would be more productive than a Chamber of Commerce.

“Despite all the good work Chambers of Commerce do they inevitably become talking shops as they never have any money to bring to the table,” he said.

“In my opinion too much is discussed in meetings and when you meet again nothing has happened. “BID’s are an opportunity to change that.”

He added that it was “incredibly liberating” to have a five year plan and that it gave businesses a voice to make a difference in the town.

Local trader Bernard Cody also questioned how the money would be spent from the BID: “Parking and traffic flow is the biggest issue in Penarth and this project is not going to cure that at all.”

He also questioned whether if the likes of schools, surgeries and Penarth Conservative Club offered parking whether the BID would pay public liability costs.

George Grace, an adviser to the Penarth BID, added that the BID would give local traders a stronger voice and help them look for solutions to problems in the town, such as parking: “Money is not going to be able to do much infrastructure, but it can do two things. Firstly, if 230 businesses come together they have a much stronger voice in dealing with the Vale Council. Secondly, you can put £5-10,000 into a local transport consultation to represent businesses.”

He added that the BID steering group could choose how much it wanted to spend on administration, whether it wanted to do it itself or appoint someone to do it on a part time bases.

Dave Noble from Penarth-based business The Edge (Systems) Ltd, who also attended the meeting, said that the town needed someone to lead local businesses, like the way Maggie Knight led the Penarth Pier Pavilion renovation, to help bring more independent shops and visitors to the town.

"I feel that if Penarth had someone actually driving the town forward, giving retailers a voice and lobbying for local businesses then this is more likely to happen. The Council will not do this for us and a Chamber of Commerce would rely on the largesse of voluntary contributors."

The ballot for the Penarth Business Improvement District opens on February 2 and closes on March 2.