Strategic Partnership Working

South Bank BID has a unique delivery model in that the BID does not employ staff directly, but the BID itself is delivered by South Bank Employers' Group (SBEG).

SBEG has been a part of the landscape in South Bank since its creation in 1991 by a number of local businesses: the organisation now has a membership of 20 businesses from across South Bank and Waterloo, who work together collectively to invest in the long-term health and success of the area.

Alongside delivering the BID, SBEG also delivers the Section 106 funding from the London Eye, and the daily maintenance of Jubilee Gardens, in agreement with the Jubilee Gardens Trust.

With SBEG's history of work in South Bank, using SBEG as the delivery mechanism for South Bank BID enables the BID to look at both the short term and long term health of South Bank.

South Bank & Waterloo Neighbours (SOWN) is a voluntary organisation that brings together the people who live in South Bank and Waterloo, small and large businesses, the cultural organisations for which the area is famous, community groups and local workers.

The BID is a member of the SOWN steering group, having played a role in the development of the Neighbourhood Plan, which was voted in in 2019 and which SOWN now delivers. The BID now collaborates closely with SOWN on matters impacting both businesses and residents, such as construction and the Net Zero programme of activity.

Place Management Group brings together a range of local landowners on a weekly basis to discuss areas such as security, cleaning and other important public realm issues impacting South Bank.

Place Management Group is delivered by the BID team, and partly funded by the BID, South Bank Employers’ Group, Section 106 funding, and the Lambeth Economic Resilience Fund.

Working through the mechanism of Place Management Group has enabled the BID to deliver targeted action across South Bank’s different landowners, such as installing temporary facilities during the lockdown period. It has also allowed for collective working on area-wide events such as the Queen’s Lying-In-State and the New Year’s Eve fireworks, ensuring resources are deployed where they’re most needed.

South Bank Employers' Group (SBEG), who are the delivery agent for South Bank BID, are also the delivery agent for the Section 106 funding generated from the lastminute.com London Eye. This innovative funding mechanism means that1% of revenue accrued from the Eye is returned to the area to fund core neighbourhood services including safety and security, cleaning and the management and maintenance of Jubilee Gardens.

Through this mechanism, the BID team work closely with Merlin Entertainments, the owners and operators of the Eye, to support a number of BID services, including South Bank Patrol - this allows for a more comprehensive, and thorough service for South Bank.

In 2023, the BID co-partnered with Merlin Entertainments in helping to jointly fund the Let's Do London, to ensure South Bank had visibility across the campaign's assets.

Partnership, chaired by the two local MPs, coordinates efforts to transform the South Bank and Waterloo area, in particular, its public realm, environment and the facilities available, and has been at the forefront of exciting development, positive transformation and meaningful change for London’s cultural heart since 1995. SBWP is delivered by the South Bank Employers' Group team, ensuring that the perspectives of BID businesses are reflected across the discussions.

South Bank Business Watch, which is delivered by South Bank Employers' Group, brings together the heads of security from the major organisations in the neighbourhood to collectively combat crime.

The group pools intelligence gathered by the Metropolitan Police and its members allowing a better-informed response to security threats that makes best use of available resources. The Police provide the group with weekly updates and mapping of crimes in the area and, where possible, also share details of where police resources will be provided.