Content

Cabinet considered a
report of the Director of Economy and Place / Cabinet Member for
Regeneration and Housing which sought approval of the renewed
Business Improvement District (BID) for Rochdale Town Centre and
the associated implications for the Council.
 
The Town Funds Manager
was in attendance to present the report and to answer the questions
and the comments of the Cabinet Member.
 
Resolved:
1.   
That the achievements of the previous Business Improvement District
2019-2024 and the priorities and objectives of the new Business
Improvement District  2024-2029 be
noted;
2.   
That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Legal,
Governance and Coroners to sign the necessary operating agreement
that will exist between the Council and the Business Improvement
District delivery mechanism.
 
Reason for
decision:
In the Renewal Ballot
last year, ballot result was as follows – 82% of votes cast
voted in favour of the BID renewal ballot by total number of
businesses and 94% of votes cast voted in favour of the BID by
rateable value. This is a better result than the first ballot in
2018.
 
As a result, the BID
is activated for the next five years and all businesses in the area
will be required to pay the BID levy in accordance with the levy
criteria.
 
The benefits of a BID
do not just come from the ability to deliver projects and services
from a guaranteed budget but come from the collective involvement
of businesses in the BID area.
 
A local authority can
only veto a BID if it is of the opinion that the BID arrangements
are likely to conflict to a significant extent with an existing
policy, place a financial burden on the rate payers or the burden
from the levy is unjust, it can decide to veto the proposals.
 
Alternatives
considered and rejected:
Officers view is that
if the BID proposal does not conflict with to a significant extent
with the Council’s adopted, published policies, nor does it
warrant the use of veto for any other reason under regulation 12 of
the BID Regulations 2004 (England) and that it can therefore be
supported.