The general manager of Croydon Chamber of Commerce has stepped down to take up the position of Croydon BID chief executive.

Matthew Sims, who has been with London Chamber of Commerce for seven years, has identified town centre policing and the completion of the Whitgift Centre take-over as priorities as he takes over from interim chief executive Maria Chapman-Beer.

The 32-year-old, said: “The biggest issue for Croydon BID are policing issues, questions we will be raising with the Mayor of London, both in terms of policing for London and the number designated to Croydon and to the town centre.

“The other area is the impasse with the Whitgift Centre.”

The BID was established in April 2007 to deliver enhancement and improvement initiatives in the Town Centre.

Its £1m annual budget is raised via a levy on businesses with a rateable value of more than £40,000 within the Croydon BID area.

Mr Sims will officially take up the new role next month and has been elected for a five year term.

The general manager at Croydon Chamber of Commerce for six years, Mr Sims, who is from Godalming, said: “This is an exciting opportunity. I have always been within the business community I have a great network of contacts through work with the London Chamber and beforehand working at Business Link.

“Croydon is a fantastic place to do business with a number of key strengths. Working with the Croydon BID team, I am truly excited by the opportunity and challenges ahead, focusing on the need to add even further value to the businesses in our membership.”