A bold BID for jobs

EDITORIAL

AS we face into a new year, an innovative plan to support and create jobs in Ennis is being spearheaded by business interest groups in the county town.
Local councillor Johnny Flynn, representatives of Ennis Chamber and Aoife Madden, chairperson of the Ennis Development Forum, have come together to call for the establishment of a Business Improvement District (BID) in the town.
The Business Improvement District concept is a public/private partnership in which business owners elect to make a collective contribution to the maintenance, development and promotion of their commercial district. A BID does not replace the services offered by the town centre. The services of a BID supplement and further these services and commonly cover areas including marketing, visitor assistance programmes, capital projects and improvements.
Based on research by the Cornell University in the United States, the total employment in the Times Square area of New York has increased by over 14% following the introduction of its BID 20 years ago.
Promoters of BID for Ennis believe this, along with other measures, including the Purple Flag initiative, could protect up to 500 existing jobs and create a similar number in a variety of sectors. The idea came about as a result of Ennis’ hub town status and its responsibilities in the areas of economic development and job creation within the Mid-West.
The jobs that are being targeted for protection are in retail, hospitality and related industries and it is also in these areas that it is hoped to create the additional jobs, with 2020 as the target date. This date might seem a long way off but it reflects the reality that recovery from the recession is expected to be a slow process. The haemorrhaging of jobs in ones and twos in small businesses adds up to a serious problem in the greater scheme of things.
Stemming such haemorrhaging and growing jobs, even in ones and twos, would stimulate an air of positivity, which in itself could have a multiplier effect in terms of support for local enterprises.
However, the initiatives proposed by the new group will only partly fulfil future employment needs in Ennis. According to research, the town will require up to 8,000 additional jobs by 2020 to address challenges relating to the economic environment, population growth and current live register figures.
According to Councillor Flynn, for the future of Ennis, its citizens, employees and businesses, action is needed now with several brave and well-planned steps. The first one is the widely supported Purple Flag initiative for a safer and more vibrant night-time economy, which is awaiting progression in early 2012. A second step could be the formation of a Business Improvement District (BID) programme.
He intends to bring forward a notice of motion at the next meeting of the town council to seek support for the establishment of a BID company, which would fit in with the objectives of the Ennis and Environs Plan.
Brian O’Neill, incoming president of Ennis Chamber, says it would be a great opportunity for business owners to improve their business streets/area, which they are most familiar with, in the most efficient manner for their own business, job protection and the district as a whole.
Aoife Madden, chairperson of Ennis Development Forum, which has up to 3,000 facebook friends on its Ennis jobs page, says recent experience shows it is only by employers and employees working together with others, such as Ennis Town Council, that we can keep Ennis a strong employment centre and to grow jobs.
Every support possible should be given to the promoters of the Ennis BID to get the initiative up and running as soon as possible.

Recycling resolution

PEOPLE are always thinking of ideas for their list of new year’s resolutions. They range from the traditional giving up sweets and chocolate to quitting smoking or beginning a fitness regime to taking up a new hobby.
It can be difficult to come up with something out of the ordinary but Clare County Council has identified another possible resolution, which would not only benefit the person but also the environment. The beauty is that it won’t put any strain on your body or financial resources. In fact, there could well be cost benefits.
The council’s resolution suggestion is quite simple. As part of its annual recycling campaign, the local authority has asked people to reduce, reuse, recycle and compost. This think green message, issued at a time of year when there is a big increase in the amount of waste to be disposed of, must be carried forward into 2012.
Clare people can take plaudits from the fact that the county already boasts a 38% recycling rate, the highest in the region, but, of course, there’s always room for improvement.
A series of tips aimed at reducing waste in the home over the Christmas period is available on the council website, while the local authority will be providing a free collection service for Christmas trees at various locations throughout the county during January.
Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes has encouraged people to avail of the waste management facilities provided by Clare County Council.  “We all produce extra waste over Christmas so it is a perfect time to focus that bit more on all that unnecessary waste,” he said.
Complimenting Clare people on their support for green initiatives to date, the mayor has urged householders and the business community to continue to reuse and recycle in 2012.
Betty Devanny, of the council’s Environment and Water Services Directorate, explained how packaging increases by 30% over the Christmas period but stressed most of this can be recycled.
Christmas is a time of giving and exchanging gifts and the council has issued a timely reminder that we can all make a gift to the environment by committing to recycling all year round.
At a time when there is an increasing awareness of global warming and environmental pollution, each of us can play a small but important role in counteracting the problems. Recycling can be our gift to future generations.