A panel of businesses in Ipswich, known as the Ipswich Central Town Centre Forum meet again next week to discuss progress made by the BID operation. The Forum has been launched to act as a vital link between the operational team at Ipswich Central and stakeholder representatives.

The Forum's primary role is to represent the wider stakeholders and levy payers, to act as a 'sounding board' for the operational team, to operate as a consultancy body, and crucially to identify and help prioritise areas of improvement and added value.

Paul Clement, Executive Director of Ipswich Central said: “The Town Centre Forum will provide the operational team with a vital opportunity to talk with stakeholder representatives about the key learning points as we constantly strive to improve the work that we do and also to gauge the priorities for the future.”

Chairman of The Forum is Dr Peter Funnell, Director of Enterprise and Executive Dean at University Campus Suffolk. Dr Funnell, who was elected at the first meeting of the Forum said: “I am delighted to chair the Forum. It has a crucial role to play in ensuring stakeholders and those with wider interests in the town and beyond get real value from the levy we pay, and that the services offered are of the highest quality.”

At its meeting in March 2008 the Forum applauded the first year of the Ipswich business improvement district run by Ipswich Central. It particularly highlighted the successes of the Street Ranger scheme, the introduction of an exclusion notice for repeat offenders, the impact of additional cleaning and safety arrangements, and the first year of an innovative independent business grant scheme.

Dr Funnell said: “The Forum is pleased with progress and this success has been reflected in the independent evaluation of Ipswich Central undertaken by New Horizon Ltd. During the remainder of 2008 and into 2009 we are looking to build on and make a positive contribution to land and transport planning in the town centre and ensuring that the views of levy payers is heard and acted upon”.