Member Article

Town Rangers project up for tender in Hexham

HEXHAM Business Improvement District is looking for a local partner to deliver a very special project in the market town.

The Town Rangers project ground to a halt last month (Sept) after an incident which meant the current provider had to withdraw from the contract.

But the BID board believe that the scheme is so important to the town that it is now putting it out for tender again.

The project aims to enhance the appearance of Hexham, by cleaning and maintaining the town’s busiest business streets, with a view to improving overall trading conditions for business owners in the town.

Helen Grayshan, manager at Hexham BID said: “We received so much support from residents and businesses, who were keen to see improvements in the town’s cleanliness when our town rangers project ran previously.

“Our previous company, The Hextol Foundation, unfortunately had to withdraw from the contract but we believe it is a scheme that’s very important to the town.

“Following this, the board carefully considered the project and decided to re-commit levy payers’ funds to it, as this was the highest priority for business communities during the consultation process that led up to the BID ballot.”

Main tasks for potential partners include litter picking on public streets, steam cleaning pavements and hotspots, cleaning interpretative boards around the town and identifying maintenance and cleaning issues and reporting this to the Northumberland County Council (NCC).

Eight routes will be covered on an alternating schedule, including areas surrounding the Market Place, bus station, old fire station and the railway station.

“We are of course disappointed that Hextol Foundation had to withdraw from the project, as they offered a very cost-effective and efficient service,” added Helen.

“However, we hope this tender will allow us to find a new, local partner who is just as willing to help transform the town’s appearance and see both its streets – and its people – thrive.”

To apply for the tender, go to http://hexhambid.co.uk/contract-opportunities/

The Hextol Foundation, which finds working opportunities for people with disabilities or disadvantages, withdrew from the BID contract after an incident where a young ranger was allegedly verbally abused by an anti-BID protester.

For more information on Hexham BID visit the website: www.hexhambid.co.uk

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