No Pulse Without Yours
You may never reflect on the question of why your city centre is important, but there is reason to think about it. You are involved in influencing which city centre you want in the future, through your choices. What is it worth to you – for business, for the environment, for social sustainability, for the visitor, for the investor, and the tax revenues? How is your city centre controlled? Who decides whether it should be nice or ugly and boring?
By Björn Bergman, CEO Swedish Association of Towns and Cities & 43 City Partnership Organisations
Photo: Laura Fuhrman/Unsplash
43 Swedish cities' collaboration organizations have agreed in a necessary and important awareness campaign to point out the importance and value of our city centres. You may not always think about it, but the city centre is important and belongs to all of us, it becomes what we make it ourselves. It's our emotional attachment to the city and the window for the city's attractiveness. It creates belonging and togetherness. It attracts investment and talent, creates jobs, and lays the foundation for growth. Therefore, it also requires our attention, care, and our common focus.
No party alone can take responsibility for the attractiveness of the city centre as it is determined by diverse parts, such as commercial supply, environment, architecture, history, security, sanitation, accessibility, culture, entertainment, service, etc. We have a common interest in protecting the city centre because when it flourishes, it has many positive consequences that you don't always think about.
Sweden's city centres have a turnover of approximately SEK 220 billion, which means that consumption in the city centre contributes to more than SEK 30 billion in VAT revenue, which goes to health, education, and social care, among other things. Local jobs are created here, with an average of 12% of the employees in a municipality working in the city centre, which corresponds to around SEK 85 billion to the state and municipality in income taxes (source: WSP). Supporting your local business community thus contributes to growth, inspires entrepreneurship, and ultimately more tax money will be generated for welfare. Therefore, not only the business sector but also schools, health, social care, and infrastructure are benefited.
It is in the city centre that we find unique entrepreneurs, those who make their mark on the place and are an important contribution to the city's identity. Many shops, restaurants, and cafés are run by self-employed people who together contribute to the soul of the city through their special offerings. To consume locally is to act sustainably. When you buy locally produced goods, the overall transport decreases because the raw materials are nearby, or that you're already getting the right item in the right size and do not have to send returns.
The city centre is a result of all changes throughout history and will survive through adaptation. What it will look like and what function it will have in the future, we decide together by engaging in collaboration, harnessing our consumer power, and influencing politically. Your valuable city centre needs you – no pulse without yours!
Photo: Laura Fuhrman/Unsplash
Signed by the following organizations: Attraktiva Laholm, Attraktiva Oskarshamn, Bollnäs, Borås City, Cesam Örnsköldsvik, City Trollhättan, City Örebro, Destination Östersund, Engelholm, Eskilstuna city, Falköping Aktiv Handel, Företagarna i Piteå, Gävle Citysamverkan, Göteborg City Shopping, Handelsföreningen i Sölvesborg, Handelsplats Höganäs, Helsingborg city, HessleCity, Kalmar City Samverkan, Karlshamn Centrum, Karlskrona City, Kristianstad City, Kristinehamn, Linköping Citysamverkan, Lund City, Malmö Citysamverkan, Mölndals Innerstad, Nysam – Nyköping, Stadsliv Kiruna, Stadsutveckling i Sundsvall, Svensk Handel Luleå, Söderhamns Cityförening, Södertälje City, Tillsammans för Ronneby/Ronneby Handels- & Intresseförening, Tillväxt Motala, Unika Ludvika, Uppsala City, Visit Skellefteå, Visit Umeå, Vänneshandlarna, Västervik, Västerås Citysamverkan, Ystad i centrum, Åmål, Ängelholms Näringsliv.