Statutory information

What BIDs are, how they are set up and how they work

What is a Business Improvement District?

A Business Improvement District (BID) is a partnership arrangement through which the local business community, the local authority and other statutory service providers can implement plans that directly benefit their area. These proposals must be agreed upon by a majority of ratepayers in the BID area before they can be enacted. The improvements must be in addition to services already provided by the local authority. The cost of the proposal is met by a supplement on the rate bills of the businesses within the BID area along with other voluntary contributions.

Legislation within the Local Government Bill (2003) has enabled the local authority to issue a bill for the additional levy. The levy is collected by the billing authority, the council, and held in a separate account for the exclusive use of the BID. All businesses that pay the supplement levy are entitled to a vote in a ballot conducted by the local authority to determine if the BID proposal should go ahead. In a BID, the partnership between businesses and local authorities is mutual; local authorities and business need to reach agreement on the nature and scope of improvements, and secure a favourable vote from businesses before the improvements can be made. Legislation has therefore given businesses, for the first time, a direct say and measure of control over how local resources are spent in their area.

Documents

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The following downloadable douments provide detailed information on the formation and structure of the BID: