Love takes over city centre post

7:36am Thursday 10th July 2008

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THE former Winchester city centre manager who left his post in mysterious circumstances has been hired by Southampton city centre bosses on a temporary contract.

Graham Love, pictured, was the driving force behind the successful campaign for a Business Improvement District (BID) in Winchester, but was suspended from his post as city centre manager on the eve of its introduction.

The scheme then started with no one at the helm and ran for seven weeks before Winchester bosses axed the post of city centre manager and Mr Love was made redundant.

No formal explanation has ever been offered for the unusual sequence of events.

Now Mr Love has taken over the vacant Southampton post on a nine-month contract after predecessor Ian Rothwell left for a new job elsewhere.

Greg Palfrey, chairman of the City Centre Management Panel, said: "He thought it was time to move on and it has coincided perfectly with Ian going so he can come in and temporarily fill the role for the next nine months or so. All the relevant checks have been carried out by the city council and we are not aware of any reason why he shouldn't be employed."

Mr Love arrives as city centre management is looking to radically change its structure to a not for profit company focussing on a more strategic role.

Plans for Southampton's own BID are also well advanced, with BID manager John Edjvet in negotiations with central companies.

A BID, which is subject to a vote, sees companies pay for extra services not provided by the council through a small surcharge on the rates. Mr Palfrey said: "He has six years' experience in Winchester and helped bring about the successful BID there. With John Edjvet we've got two guys who have made it happen elsewhere. We've got a strong team."

Mr Love said: "What happened in Winchester was straightforward. There was a reorganisation and I was made redundant.

"I had the opportunity to apply for any post in the new structure but I chose not to.

"There's a lot of exciting things happening in the development of Southampton city centre. The board are hungry for a step change in city centre management. It exists as a successful initiative already but Southampton is changing and city centre management needs to change to reflect that.

"I want to get out there and talk to businesses and listen to what they have got to say and reflect that back in the coming months."

To contact Mr Love e-mail graham.love@southampton.gov.uk or call 023 8023 6460.