Manage
A St James’s BID will caretake the streets, keeping them clean, safe & attractive, elevating the experience for everyone.
SWOT summary
The SWOT summary indicates the barriers to, and benefits from, investing in services that make the area clean, safe, professionally managed and easier to navigate. To read the full SWOT analysis, visit the main menu HOLBA area SWOT section.
Strengths
- The St James’s Business Steering Committee, comprised of business from across the district including property owners and occupiers, has worked with HOLBA to develop an area specific management improvement plan for St James’s.
- The current street cleaning is acceptable, but the district lacks consistent cleaning standards, a St James's BID will improve the standards with a 7-day-a-week sanitation and pavement washing programme.
Weaknesses
- Police funding does not fully take account of visitor numbers. The St James’s District has just 1,050 residents compared with more than 16.8M visitors a year, resulting in the area being significantly under-policed.
- A finite budget and recruitment challenges in the Metropolitan Police Service has resulted in the service being under-resourced.
- The lack of police response has created a high level of apathy amongst the business community to report crime. Consequently, the true level of crime is under-reported and the area is under-policed.
- Staff, especially shop workers, are daily targets of abuse, threats and attacks.
- The impact of over 46,000 visitors per day places disproportionate demands on street services.
- The high volume of visitors also attracts criminal activity, particularly theft and shoplifting.
- State occasions, parades, events and demonstrations generate periods of exceptionally high footfall, necessitating an enhanced street cleaning and security provision which is not fully resourced.
Opportunities
- St James’s had a 30% increase in crime over the last 2 years whereas the areas managed by HOLBA experienced a fall of 4%. HOLBA has a track record in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in some of the most demanding parts of London and will bring this experience and expertise to St James’s.
- The Labour government’s commitment to increasing police numbers could contribute to reducing crime and antisocial behaviour in the West End.
- Emerging technologies, in particular autonomous vehicles, are an opportunity to increase the frequency of street cleaning.
- The introduction of a monitored CCTV system could contribute to making the St James’s District safer.
Threats
- Resilience to issues such as extreme weather, cybercrime, protests and demonstrations are increasing threats to businesses and organisations.
- High and growing crime rates is a threat to the safety of staff, residents and visitors and could deter visitors to the area, potentially undermining the vibrancy of local businesses.
- Perceptions that the area is unsafe, in particular after dark, deters visitors.
Delivery plan
Over the next five years the St James’s BID will focus on:
- Daytime safety
- Night-time safety
- Cleaning & street management
- Caring for the community
- Sustainable management
- Resilience support
Daytime safety
A key priority for the St James's BID is ensuring that the area is among the most inclusive and safe places to visit, live, trade and work.
Over the next five years the St James's BID will:
- Provide an on call, rapid assistance 24/7 private security team.
- Deliver a crime-reduction strategy and action plan that holds the statutory bodies to account and lobby for increased police presence and patrols.
- Operate joint patrols and surveillance with the statutory providers.
- Provide and fund a radio network, which enables members to be informed and updated about disturbances or threats and an online crime reporting system to deter and tackle crime.
- Collate and share crime intelligence with the local authorities, while partnering with them to implement a community policing approach.
- Work with members to implement anti-theft measures and resilience training, ensuring businesses know how to respond to unexpected events.
- Explore the use of technology-based solutions such as CCTV cameras and facial recognition software to deter criminals.
- Influence public realm designs to ensure crime is designed-out and safety is designed-in.
- Provide free training to keep the St James's District’s residents, staff and visitors safe including content on counterterrorism, welfare and vulnerability and conflict resolution.
- Provide a knowledgeable, friendly welcome and offer directions to visitors.
Night-time safety
The St James's BID will actively support safety at night, across public and private streets, spaces and venues and protect the quiet enjoyment of residential areas.
Over the next five years the St James's BID will:
- Provide an on call, rapid assistance 24/7 private security team.
- Deliver Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) and Ask Angela training and support Night Haven services.
- Foster partnerships between businesses, property owners, the council and police, with a key focus on prevention, intervention and support.
- Establish and raise awareness about “safe spaces” across the district.
- Conduct night safety audits, with specific focus on women and people with disabilities.
- Actively encourage all businesses to sign up to the Mayor’s Women’s Night Safety Charter and designate a Women’s Night Safety Champion.
- Deliver the Best Bar None accreditation scheme, which recognises and celebrates excellent management of evening and night-time venues and offers free advice and guidance.
- Retain Purple Flag status for the Heart of London area by working with the entire evening and night-time economy.
- Host regular Pub Watch meetings for all businesses, the police and local council, with the aim of helping to achieve a safe, secure and responsibly managed commercially active environment.
Cleaning & street management
The St James's BID will invest in additional daily cleaning and waste management services to maintain clean streets for the benefit of everyone. These are in addition to the basic level of services delivered by the council.
Over the next five years the St James's BID will:
- Provide a 7-day-a-week programme of sanitisation.
- Wash all street bins once a week.
- Remove pavement staining daily as required.
- Hotwash pavements and remove chewing gum daily.
- Remove graffiti within 45 minutes of reporting.
- Carry out daily street audits to identify and report issues ranging from cleaning and maintenance, dockless-bike and pedicab issues and suspicious behaviour, pursuing a response until rectified.
Caring for the community
The St James's BID will be committed to working with its partners, including the council and its front-line services, to deliver long-term solutions to people sleeping rough on the streets of the West End and to support vulnerable people out of gangs, trafficking and organised crime.
Over the next five years the St James's BID will:
- Support homelessness charity partner, The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Field, who provide a rough sleeping engagement programme, assisting those seeking accommodation, mental health and substance abuse support.
- Provide an on-street service referring vulnerable individuals to Street Link for further support and assistance.
Sustainable management
Over the next five years the St James's BID will:
- Provide a preferred commercial waste and recycling supplier scheme with Veolia, maximising recycling, guaranteeing that no waste goes to landfill and minimising vehicle movements to reduce traffic congestion, delays and air pollution.
- Offer discounted member rates for commercial waste and recycling collection, saving St James's BID members money.
- Update the whole fleet of cleaning, waste and recycling collection vehicles to emit zero emissions by 2026.
Resilience support
Over the next five years the St James’s BID will:
- Work with partners to deliver measures to protect members and the St James’s District from the effects of extreme weather events due to climate change.
- Work with specialist agencies to provide support and advice to organisations on cyber-threats and crime.