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Business Improvement Districts

What is a BID?

Business Improvement Districts are about a number of local organisations working together to improve their business and living environment. Where BIDs work effectively they add to and compliment local authority service provision and there are safeguards in the legislation to ensure that this is the case.
 
At the heart of every BID is a partnership focused on a specific area through which local authorities and the local business community can take forward schemes that benefit their local community. All this is subject to the agreement of business ratepayers who must agree to pay an additional levy on their rate bill to finance a BID. The ratepayers themselves will decide in advance on the way their money will be spent and how much they are prepared to pay in addition to their rates. Each ratepayer who is asked to contribute to a BID will be able to vote on whether or not that BID goes ahead.

What can BIDs offer?

The BID concept began in the US and is now being encouraged in the UK by the Government. BIDs offer a great opportunity to improve the local environment for the benefit of tenants, landlords and the general public. A BID can be established in any place where the local business community desires additional services to those provided by their local authority. BIDs could be located on industrial estates, in town centres, in one or two particular streets or a larger area, and they can include a broad range of projects in terms of their size and issues they address.

What can BIDs be used for?

BIDs can be used for anything that will improve the local business environment, some examples include:

  • Safety and security - Providing additional security guards or setting up CCTV.
  • Cleaning - establishing an improved cleansing programme for the area.
  • Event marketing - arranging promotional events and material for the area.
  • Landscaping - Introduce landscaped areas or ensuring that landscaping is maintained.
  • Transport and accessibility - establishing a coach service to bring staff to the area.
  • Inward investment and development - establishing a promotional programme to encourage more business to develop.
  • Environmental improvement - improving lighting, paving etc.
  • Collective delivery - for example, allowing businesses to collectively fund a creche or joint training for employees.

How do I get involved?

If you want to discuss BIDs please contact our BID Manager, Rachel Widdows. Rachel can be contacted by email, direct line 020 8885 9207 or mobile 07823 334061.

Argall BID

The local Business Associations from Argall Avenue and Rigg Approach have been working behind the scenes for many years to attract funding to develop and regenerate the local area. Past projects have included road resurfacing, basic CCTV and security systems and signage improvements. However there is no further public funding formally allocated for the area and the BID model is one way of ensuring that the area has investment funds to maintain and improve the industrial areas in the future.

If a ‘Yes’ vote is successful then the area will have around £50,000 per year of funds to spend on improvements (like CCTV and signage) and other BIDs have shown that additional public funding is also easier to attract if you are a BID. Please visit www.argallBID.co.uk for full informaiton.