The team behind Royston’s Business Improvement District (BID) is promising to “make a good town even better” after it was granted funding to continue its work for the town.

Businesses in Royston pledged to fund Royston First BID for five more years in a ballot that took place last month.

The results were revealed this week, and Geraint Burnell, Royston’s town centre manager and a member of the BID team, welcomed the news.

He said: “We are pleased with the positive result of the referendum and we accept the mandate to continue to implement the projects outlined in the prospectus.”

Funded by an extra levy on business rates, Royston First was launched in 2009. So far it has helped deliver projects including the Royston Picture Palace Community Cinema, free parking after 3pm and the Operation Artemis extra police patrols.

Possible new projects for the second term of the BID include improved signage at the gateways to the town, including the installing of electronic information signs, together with a new town website and app. The possibility of a ‘big win’ project such as a splashpark is also being looked at. As reported in the Crow last year, parents in the town have been calling for a splashpark to be installed to mirror those in Baldock and Letchworth GC.

Mr Burnell said: “We look forward to the challenge of delivering over 20 improvement projects within the town over the next five years.

“While we believe our delivery mechanism has proven to be effective over the first BID term, we are aware that communication of our achievements has not been as strong as it might have been. Accordingly we are in the process of implementing a series of measures designed to keep businesses better informed during the second BID term.

“In keeping with Royston’s motto, our overall objective is to take a good town and make it even better.”

For more on the BID, together with the full prospectus, visit www.roystonfirst.com

What do you think? Has Royston First been good for the town? Email postbag@royston-crow.co.uk