Business support body Gloucester BID launches its campaign to vote yes in the run up to a second term ballot.
BID, which stands for Business Improvement District, is an independent, business-led and funded body. Gloucester BID operates within Gloucester city centre and provides vital services for businesses such as patrolling City Protection Officers, street cleaning, flowering and key events in the city.
Gloucester BID will ballot its businesses for renewal this June. It’s first ballot was in 2017 when business ratepayers voted to invest collectively in local improvements that are in addition to those delivered by Gloucester City Council. Gloucester BID collects an annual levy from 572 hereditaments each of whom pay an annual levy derived from 1.6% of the rateable value of their premises. Every five years, businesses vote to continue the BID for a subsequent term, based on a set of proposals.
Gloucester BID works on behalf of businesses to enable a Safer, Attractive, Supported and Promoted city. Examples include: providing city cleansing, flowering and planters; working with a number of key partners such as Gloucester City Safe to provide award-winning City Protection Officers and funding of several key events including Bright Nights, Tall Ships and Gloucester Retro Festival.
The Gloucester BID team will be launching its campaign to promote the work it does to make a difference during a ‘pop-up’ at the Cathedral Quarter on Westgate Street from Monday 14- Friday 18 March. Businesses and the public are invited to find out more about improvements and plans for the city.
In July 2017, 83.1% of voting businesses voted yes in the first ballot of Gloucester BID. The ballot has to meet two tests. First, a simple majority of those voting must vote in favour. Second, the aggregate rateable value of the hereditaments of those voting in favour must exceed the aggregate rateable value of the hereditaments of those voting against.
A recent ‘health check’ of Gloucester BID praised its ‘exemplary’ crime reduction partnership with the Gloucester City Protection Officers and Gloucester City Safe. The British BIDs Health Check report focused on all areas of the BID including: management and operations; financial matters; performance management and communications and reporting.
In particular, the report praised, ‘exemplary quantitative feedback from their crime reduction partnership.’ This recognising how Gloucester BID has worked towards a safer city for those who work, study, visit and shop in Gloucester. From 2017, the BID cooperated with Gloucester City Safe to introduce City Wardens and after universal approbation, it continues to provide funding to support highly visible City Protection officers who patrol the whole BID area.
Along with these positive findings, Gloucester BID has welcomed new board members to the 10 strong BID board which is made up of varied business owners who make decisions on behalf of the levy payers in the Gloucester district.
