Purpose

The report will seek Cabinet support for the
renewal of the Town Centre BID for a second five year period, for
the Town Centre BID’s Business Plan 2025-2030 and Cabinet
approval for the Council to continue to undertake the role of
Ballot Holder, as well as Billing Authority for the BID, should a
majority of BID levy payers vote to continue the BID

Content

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet:

1)            
notes
the achievements and impact of the Town Centre BID
during its first term (2019-2024).

2)            
agrees the
proposal to support the renewal of the Town Centre BID and that the
Council will vote ‘Yes’ in favour of the BID and, by
doing so, agree to pay the levy on those rateable hereditaments
owned by the Council which are located in the BID area, as listed
in Appendix A of report
PES/469. The cost to the Council to be included within
future years budgets if the renewal ballot is
successful.

3)            
requests the
Leader of the Council, as the nominated representative, to cast the
‘YES’ vote in respect of the Council’s eligible
hereditaments in the BID boundary area.
 
4)            
approves
that the Chief Executive, as Returning Officer and Ballot holder,
should hold a ballot for the Town Centre BID
renewal.
 
5)            
approves
that the Head of Governance, People and Performance be authorised
to complete the necessary legal agreements required for the BID
levy operation together with any other relevant documentation for
the proposed BID renewal.
 
6)            
agrees that
the Council continues to perform the role of billing authority for
a further five years, collecting the BID levy on behalf of the Town
Centre BID, subject to the BID securing renewal.

Reasons for the
Recommendations
 
a)            
Since the
outcome of the ballot for the Town Centre BID’s initial term permitted a maximum
five-year period to 31 March 2025, a renewal ballot for a second
term is required amongst Town Centre levy payers to determine
whether the majority wish for the Town Centre BID to continue for a
further five years. Cabinet is therefore asked to agree to the Town
Centre BID’s renewal
proposal.
 
b)            
The Council
also needs to determine whether it wishes to continue to undertake
the role of billing authority, collecting the BID levy on behalf of
the BID (subject to legal agreement).
 
c)            
The BID
(England) Regulations 2004 require the Council as ‘billing
authority’ to instruct the ballot holder to hold the renewal
ballot. The ballot holder is the person the relevant billing
authority has appointed under section 35 of the Representation of
the People Act 1983 (a) as the Returning Officer for elections to
that authority i.e. the Chief Executive.
 
d)            
Given the
Council owns 20 rateable property hereditaments within the Town
Centre BID area (with a rateable value of more than £10,000)
it will be required to pay a BID levy for those properties (except
for 7 properties leased to tenants that are liable for the BID
levy) should the BID be renewed for a second term. Details of these
hereditaments and their respective liabilities are shown in
Appendix A and in paragraphs 6.2.3 to 6.2.5 of report

PES/469. This entitles the Council to vote during the
period of the BID ballot as a levy payer.
 
e)            
The Council
is required to ensure that the process associated with BID renewal
and the operation of the Town Centre BID during a second term
(subject to a ‘Yes’ vote) is undertaken in accordance
with the BID (England) Regulations 2004.