Latest news with #COUNCIL
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Council chiefs pledge colab with new BID to ‘drive improvements'
THE COUNCIL has pledged to work alongside the newly formed Stourbridge Business Improvement District (BID) to 'drive improvements' throughout the town. The new BID came into force on April 1 after 77 per cent of votes cast by town centre business bosses were in favour of the move. The vote will mean that around £835,000 will be generated over the next five years to be spent on supporting businesses and improving the town centre. Council bosses have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Stourbridge BID team, committing both parties to press ahead together with improvement plans for the town centre. The cash comes from a levy imposed on businesses on top of existing business rates. Aaron Powell, Centre Management at The Ryemarket Centre and Chair of Stourbridge BID, said: 'We're proud to officially launch Stourbridge BID and to have the strong backing of both local businesses and Dudley Council. 'The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding marks the start of a new chapter for Stourbridge town centre, one where collaboration and shared vision will deliver real, lasting improvements. 'We're committed to making Stourbridge a vibrant, welcoming, and thriving destination for businesses, residents and visitors alike.' Cllr Paul Bradley, Deputy Leader of the council and a Director of Stourbridge BID, said: 'As a council, we have seen the huge difference the creation of a BID can make to a town in Halesowen. 'For that reason, we were happy to back a similar BID in Stourbridge, and the signing of the MoU is a commitment from both parties to work together to drive improvements in the town centre. 'It is an exciting opportunity for business bosses to have an influence on making positive improvements to their towns. 'I think it will be a huge boost for Stourbridge, an opportunity to drive more trade and footfall to the town and create new jobs.'
Irish Post
08-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Business investment scheme designed to fill empty city centre units is ‘resounding success'
A COUNCIL investment scheme designed to fill empty business units in Belfast city centre has been a 'resounding success' the local authority has confirmed. Some £1m in grants was awarded to small and independent businesses by Belfast City Council through their Vacant to Vibrant scheme. 'As well as helping to revitalise and animate the city centre, the council's investment has generated over £3.5m in rates – a return of almost £4 for every £1 allocated in grants,' the Council said this week. The scheme was launched in 2022 to incentivise business owners to take up empty units across the city. Belfast City Council's Vacant to Vibrant scheme has been a 'resounding success' Those who received grants under the scheme inlcide Another World, ArtsEkta, Bodega Bagels, Golden Thread Gallery, High Society, Michele International Hairdressing, Neighbourhood Café, Sloan's Gym, Vault Artist Studios and Verona Bridal. Of 48 grants awarded, 23 have helped, or are helping to regenerate a historic building or building of interest in the city. Round House Bakery is one of them. The local bakers will use their funding to bring artisan sourdough breads, pastries, and pizza to a unit in Cathedral Buildings which was almost destroyed by fire three years ago. The Vault Artist Studios received a £25k grant under the scheme, which will see them bring the city's iconic listed building Spencer House back to life. "We're delighted to secure £25,000 Vacant to Vibrant funding for Spencer House as the first phase of our fundraising towards taking on this iconic and historic city centre building," General Manager Neal Campbell said. 'Vault is passionate about advocating for the importance of arts and culture within sustainable regeneration, and we're very excited to do this in the heart of the city centre on Royal Avenue, where we can facilitate new conversations about how we reimagine and reactivate Belfast's heritage buildings," he added. 'We thank Belfast City Council for its support and we're hopeful that we can now press on and secure the additional funding that will be needed to bring Spencer House back to life, as a new home for over 30 multidisciplinary artists." The grants awarded have created 139 jobs and generated some £23m in sales over the lifespan of the scheme. 'Vacant to Vibrant has been such a success in the city centre, helping to strengthen Belfast's attractiveness as a place to visit, live and invest – boosting footfall, rates income, employment and business income,' Chair of Belfast City Council's City Growth and Regeneration Committee, Councillor Sam Nelson said. 'And I think that success is thanks to a combination of the applicants' energy, vision and hard work, along with the wraparound support we've provided to help them develop business plans, marketing, and of course linking them with suitable units.' He added: 'We're now seeking additional investment to allow us to extend the Vacant to Vibrant city centre scheme.' Applications for Belfast City Council's Vacant to Vibrant citywide scheme are welcome from business start-ups, independent retailers, social enterprises, cultural and voluntary organisations and property owners seeking to transform their vacant property. Grants between £2.5k and £25k will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, until all funding is allocated. See More: Belfast City Council, Funding, Vacant To Vibrant
Scottish Sun
03-05-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
‘Eyesores' set to be removed from streets as Scots council splashes £20m on major revamp
The dodgy decking will soon be ripped up and replaced with new features 'PUBLIC HAZARD' 'Eyesores' set to be removed from streets as Scots council splashes £20m on major revamp COUNCIL chiefs in Glasgow are set to remove rotting 'benches and eyesore decking' as part of a £20m refurb plan. The seating, situated on the city's Queen Street, was installed during the Covid pandemic and has been neglected ever since. Advertisement 2 The works are currently underway Credit: Alamy 2 George Square and the surrounding areas are set to be transformed as part of a £20m revamp Critics have blasted Glasgow City Council's failure to act sooner, now branding the benches a 'public hazard'. Councillor Paul Carey BEM claims the local authority should have conducted frequent inspections to prevent it from falling into such a sorry state. He told the Glasgow Times: 'The council have simply failed to look after them properly and the wood is now so rotten that if you sit on them, they just start to break apart. 'They were put in place as part of a positive initiative to give people somewhere to sit to get a breath of fresh air during lockdown, but they are now in such a sorry state that the only real option is to lose them." Advertisement The issue was brought to the attention of the Drumchapel and Anniesland councillor after one of his constituents was injured by a splinter. He continued: 'The man told me he sat one of them and ended up with a large skelf sticking into him. It's taken a councillor to raise this and the question is why they were not properly and regularly inspected after being installed? They are a hazard now and should be cordoned off to the public until they are removed.' Now, as part of a £20m revamp of George Square and surrounding areas, the dodgy decking is set to be ripped up and replaced with new features. The project, funded by the council, Scottish and UK governments, will see new seating, sensory gardens, play areas, feature lighting, and "high-quality" paving installed at George Square. Advertisement The works will also extend to North Hanover Street, George Street, West George Street, Cochrane Street and St Vincent Place. It will be done in two phases, with George Square, St Vincent Place and West George Street due for completion in August 2026. Memorial benches removed ahead of Europa League final The rest are to be finished by Spring 2027. A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: 'The benches and decking on the east side of Queen Street were introduced on a temporary basis. These features will be removed as part of the work that's getting underway in George Square and the space will become a loading area. Advertisement 'There are similar features on the west side of the street and these will also be removed, but the pavement will be widened permanently at this location, which will allow tables and chairs to continue to be used.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kalispell mayor rebukes Legislature for 'antagonistic, vindictive approach' to cities
Mar. 5—Kalispell Mayor Mark Johnson on Monday slammed the state Legislature after learning lawmakers were again considering a bill sunsetting levies after 10 years. "I've never seen such an antagonistic, vindictive approach against cities, counties to a lesser extent, than any other state that ours has towards us," Johnson said of the Legislature. His remarks came during Kalispell City Council's March 3 meeting and after City Manager Doug Russell updated councilors on Senate Bill 204. The legislation originally required that all levies come with a sunset date but had been amended to exempt levies for fire protection and emergency medical service. While the public safety levy passed by Kalispell voters last year would remain safe, Russell warned that the bill could be amended further. Johnson accused legislators of scolding municipalities for not addressing the statewide housing crunch while pressing them to tighten their budgets. Johnson said that building infrastructure to support more housing inflates city budgets. And then "[legislators] sit in their chairs and yell at us because our budgets went up. The audacity is appalling," he said. He called the legislature "extremely dishonest" for dictating city budgets without understanding how they are produced. "They don't really represent us, they don't represent our taxpayers, they represent themselves and their party," he said. COUNCIL GAVE the green light to Texas-based developer Vista Ridge Cottages to ship in 96 prefabricated residential units — 53 detached single-family units and 43 townhomes — bound for nearly 16 acres off Two Mile Drive, east of the U.S. 93 Bypass. The land was annexed into the city and zoned under residential apartment (RA-1) with an approved preliminary plat and planned unit development, which will allow for smaller lot sizes than permitted under city code. The city's growth policy designates the land for high-density development. Developer Guy Hatcher has had a second home in the Flathead Valley since 2011 and said he has observed the rising need for affordable housing. He said the homes are intended for younger families looking for a starter home or seniors looking to downsize. Partnering with Fading West, the homes will be framed and shipped from its facility in Colorado. Hatcher said the homes should be ready to sell within a week of being delivered. "We are trying to get a really cool village-looking feel coming out of this product," Hatcher said. He wants to see homes begin to hit the market in summer 2026. He anticipates the homes to range from 580 to 1,800 square feet, with prices ranging from $325,000 to $480,000. While the style of housing was favored across the board, Councilor Ryan Hunter expressed concern over developing on the 100-year flood plain that lies underneath a large portion of the property. Building subdivisions on floodplains is disallowed under city code, but the developer can get approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to infill the land after it conducts an analysis of the property and revises the floodplain map to allow for development. Sorensen doesn't anticipate the permit to be approved by FEMA until next year. Hunter, who also works as a land protection specialist for the Flathead Land Trust, expressed concern over moving the floodplain which he said may still pose a risk to the surrounding area. "My understanding is that this is not a good idea," he said. Johnson voted for the development, wishing that FEMA would hand out the permit sooner. "In all reality, a city our size, we don't have access to the federal programs for money to buy down housing prices. We don't have access to these things, so our attack is on building inventory. Inventory to the point it gets so much, we have too much," he said. Still, Johnson in January sided with the Flathead County commissioners in their decision to reject a state program that would have funneled millions into Flathead County for workforce housing. AFTER DELIBERATING last week, Council voted to adopt a new project plan to hasten upgrades for the city's wastewater treatment facility in the face of a fast-approaching deadline to complete construction. With Glacier Gold Composting closing its doors, the city must upgrade its facility so it can ship its biosolids exclusively to the Flathead County Landfill. Council also authorized the issuance of a bond package of up to $100 million to finance capital improvements at Immanuel Living's Buffalo Hill Campus. The conduit bond is authorized through the city, but a private bank provides the funds. Johnson said the practice by companies is typical when pursuing larger projects. Council also allowed the 91-acre Spring Creek Park subdivision a preliminary plat extension after inflation and labor shortages kept the developer from starting construction in the required timeframe. Kalispell Police officers Chris Olsen and Cat Edson also were sworn in after completing their one-year probationary period. Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kalispell City Council to vote on emergency well repairs
Feb. 18—Kalispell City Council is expected to authorize emergency repairs to a public water well on Tuesday and likely begin its transition away from composting biosolids. Council will meet Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. Councilors will vote on authorizing an emergency repair to the Buffalo Hill Well, which has experienced "significant operational deficiencies" over the past couple of weeks, according to a city memo drafted by Public Works Director Susie Turner. "Time is of the essence to complete the replacement and return the well to service before the high summer demand," Turner wrote. The Buffalo Hill Well is the city's largest water producer for its lower pressure zone, which is roughly anything south of Lawrence Park. A storage tank is also under construction and out of commission, making it critical to maintain the well, according to Turner Declaring the project an emergency will expedite the typically lengthy process of bidding for a contractor. The project is estimated to cost $250,000 but could reach as high as $325,000. City staff expects to have to remove the motor and pump with a large crane to assess the repairs needed, according to Turner. COUNCIL WILL also consider extending its agreement with Glacier Gold Composting so that the company can continue managing the city's biosolids while its wastewater treatment plant is upgraded. During a work session in December, councilors expressed interest in moving away from compositing its biosolids owing to public concerns surrounding forever chemicals. Glacier Gold also closed its composting facility in Olney, which may have sealed the deal on the move. The city currently sends 70% of its biosolids to Glacier Gold Composting and the rest to Flathead County Landfill, but the landfill will eventually take in all the city's sewage. But before that happens, the city must invest in new equipment to adhere to the landfill's standards. The new and upgraded equipment has a projected cost of $6.8 million, according to city documents. The upgrades are expected to be completed by 2026, and the amended agreement with Glacier Gold would expire in September 2026. The city currently pays $238 per dry ton of sludge delivered to the Glacier Gold Compost Facility. The rate will increase to $370 per dry ton on Jul 1, 2025 and remain in effect through the agreement term. Biosolids, also known as sewage sludge, are a product of the wastewater treatment process. The solids can be used to create nutrient-rich fertilizers, but concerns have grown over pollutants and pathogens that can contaminate the product, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances also known as PFAS or forever chemicals. Council is also expected to enter into an updated agreement with the consulting firm, Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, who would manage the wastewater treatment upgrades. COUNCIL WILL also vote whether to approve Mitchell Bump to the Tourism Business Improvement District. First established in 2010, the seven-member board promotes the health, safety and security of the city and district, according to Kalispell's website. Board members serve a four-year term; Bump's term would end in April 2027. "I wanted to be a part of shaping the future of Kalispell to reflect the values we cherish such as maintaining its small-town charm while embracing sustainable growth and opportunity," read Bump's application. He has a background in hotel management and hospitality. Kalispell Police officers Matthew Praetzel and Connor McKinnon will also be confirmed on Tuesday night after completing their one-year probationary employment period. Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
