Agenda item

To consider a report on a proposal for a Business Improvement District (BID) in Wilmslow Town Centre.

The Committee considered a report on a proposal for a Business Improvement District (BID) in Wilmslow Town Centre. A formal notification had been submitted to the Council, setting out the intention of Groundwork CLM, on behalf of the Wilmslow Town Centre Management Group, to put a proposal for a Wilmslow Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) to a ballot.

The report provided information on BIDs, on the emerging draft Wilmslow Town Centre BID proposal and the anticipated implications of the notification. It sought decisions to enable officers to respond appropriately to the notification. The Council was not being asked to take a decision on the BID proposal itself at this stage; once the details of the proposal were known, a second report would be submitted to the Economy and Growth Committee.

Officers reported that the estimated levy for Council-owned assets within the BID area as reported in paragraph 8.1.3 of the report had been revised to £5,500 a year.

Members raised the following questions and comments in relation to the report:

§  Would a business within a BID area be disqualified from applying for other grants or forms of economic assistance? The Development and Regeneration Delivery Manager undertook to provide a written response to the Committee.

§  It was important for members to know what benefits the Council would receive in exchange for providing public funds.

§  Details of the baseline services provided by the Council should be made available to members.

§  Could NHS providers within the BID area be exempted from paying the levy? Officers advised that it was for the BID proposer to decide on any exemptions; this could be discussed with them.

RESOLVED

That

1.    The Executive Director of Place shall notify the BID proposer of the Council’s intention to seek to recoup the costs to the Council arising from BID development, BID ballot and levy collection.

2.    On receipt of the Wilmslow Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) proposal:

(a)  The Chief Executive as Returning Officer and “Ballot Holder” shall check the BID proposal against the requirements set out in the BID Regulations, and subject to the BID proposal meeting the necessary requirements, shall make all necessary arrangements for the Wilmslow Town Centre (BID) proposal ballot to take place, and for the results of the ballot to be counted and declared on behalf of the BID proposer.

(b)  The Executive Director of Place shall take a further report to the Economy and Growth Committee, outlining the detail of the BID proposal and seeking any necessary further authority to respond.

3.    Subject to a “yes” vote at ballot, the Executive Director of Place shall ensure that a final review of the BID proposal is undertaken and shall determine whether there is any cause to veto the proposals, having regard to all relevant matters as prescribed by the BID Regulations; and following that determination shall either confirm that the Council will not veto the BID proposals or serve a notice to exercise a veto.

4.    Subject to a “yes” vote at ballot, and the Executive Director of Place confirming that the Council will not veto the BID proposals:

(a)  The Council’s Monitoring Officer shall make necessary arrangements for the completion and updating of such legal agreements as he considers necessary to facilitate the BID, including agreements ensuring clarity around baseline service levels within the BID area, and clarity of arrangements for collection and management of the BID levy.

(b)  The Council as billing authority shall make necessary arrangements for billing, collection and enforcement of the BID levy, and its transfer to Wilmslow Town Centre BID.