Issue - meetings

Decision:

(1)      To endorse the Experience Guildford BID Business Plan 2023-28, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report submitted to the Executive .

(2)      To use the Council’s 27 votes to vote in favour of the proposal to renew the experience Guildford Business Improvement District (BID) for Guildford town centre for 2023-2028.

(3)      To delegate the decision to vote in the BID ballot to the Leader of the Council.

(4)      To note the Council’s business rates levy of £38,289 per annum for 2023-28, to be accommodated within the existing overall budget.

Reason(s):

To secure the long-term economic prosperity of the Town Centre and to continue the effective management partnership developed over the previous 10 years.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

To vote against the renewal of the BID.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

A Business Improvement District (BID) was a defined area in which a levy was charged on all business rate payers in addition to the business rates bill. This levy was used to develop projects which would benefit businesses in the local area. The BID proposer in Guildford was Experience Guildford. Experience Guildford was required to develop a proposal and submit this to the Council, along with a business plan. The proposal set out the services to be provided and the size and scope of the BID. It also set out who was liable for the levy, the amount of levy to be collected and how it was calculated.

Experience Guildford was first successfully voted in by ballot in October 2012 and with strong support the BID was renewed at ballot again in 2017. The current term would come to an end on 31 January 2023, at which time all activities would cease if not renewed.

The next BID renewal ballot would take place in October 2022.  Guildford Borough Council had 27 properties subject to business rates in the BID area and therefore had 27 votes in the ballot. The BID levy of 1%, would raise up to £600,000 per annum.  The report before the Executive sought support to cast the Council’s votes in favour of the BID renewal.

The Lead Councillor for Economy introduced the report and praised the Experience Guildford team for their work especially during and following the pandemic, and if successful, looked forward to working together again. The Executive agreed with the Lead Councillor’s recommendations and consequently,

RESOLVED:

(1)       To endorse the Experience Guildford BID Business Plan 2023-28, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report submitted to the Executive.

(2)       To use the Council’s 27 votes to vote in favour of the proposal to renew the experience Guildford Business Improvement District (BID) for Guildford town centre for 2023-2028.

(3)       To delegate the decision to vote in the BID ballot to the Leader of the Council.

(4)       To note the Council’s business rates levy of £38,289 per annum for 2023-28, to be accommodated within the existing overall budget.

Reason(s):

To secure the long-term economic prosperity of the Town Centre and to continue the effective management partnership developed over the previous 10 years.

Amanda Masters, Chief Executive Officer of Experience Guildford Business Improvement District (BID), presented a briefing note in respect of the BID’s re-ballot in 2022.  The briefing note included a related consultation document, survey highlights and ballot timetable.  The consultation document set out the BID’s achievements against the current business plan and invited voters to give their feedback via a survey link.  Although the survey had largely closed, it remained open for completion by councillors until 18 June 2022.  Next, the BID would hold workshops to give businesses the opportunity to put forward their comments and ideas for the next term which would inform the new business plan to be published in July. The campaign would reach as many voters as possible, including a number of national retail head offices, ahead of the 28-day postal ballot in October in accordance with the timetable.

The EAB was advised that a BID was a business-led and business funded body formed to improve a defined commercial area, in this case Guildford town centre.  The benefits of BIDs were wide-ranging and included:

·             Businesses decided and directed what they wanted in their area.

·             Businesses were represented and had a voice regarding issues affecting their trading area.

·             BID levy money was ring-fenced for use only in the BID area.

·             Increased footfall and spend.

·             Improved staff retention.

·             Enhanced marketing and promotion.

·             Looking at infrastructure, pollution and movement.

·             Guidance in place shaping vision activities.

·             Facilitated networking opportunities with neighbouring businesses.

·             Assistance in dealing with the Council, police and other public bodies.

The following key facts applied to BIDs:

·             In the UK, the majority of BIDs existed in town and city centres, however, they were also in industrial, commercial and mixed-use locations.

·             The BID mechanism allowed for a large degree of flexibility and as a result BIDs could vary in shape and size.

·             The average size of a BID was 300-400 hereditaments, with some of the smallest having fewer than 50 hereditaments and the largest having over 1,000.

·             Although annual income was typically between £200,000 and £600,000, it could be as low as £50,000 per annum or as much as £2 million or more.

·             Legislation enabling the formation of BIDs was passed in 2003 in England and Wales (with subsequent regulations published in 2004 and 2005, respectively) and in 2006 in Scotland.

·             BIDs were first established in Canada and the United States in the 1960s and now existed across the globe.

Every BID, once elected by relevant businesses, operated for a five-year term.  During the term, eligible voters were legally mandated to pay an annual levy.  In the case of Experience Guildford, this money was collected by the Council on the BID’s behalf and spent by the BID on the town centre within the terms of the business plan.  Following a successful initial ballot in October 2012, the Experience Guildford BID launched in early 2013 and had been in existence for approaching ten years, comprising two terms of five years each, and was preparing for its third ballot in October  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42