What's a BID?
 

The Business Improvement District Regulations 2004 is legislation which enables local businesses in a clearly defined area to form partnerships with stakeholders to implement improvements which will benefit their locality.

BIDs work in addition to existing services provided by the local authority to encourage the revitalization of an area, addressing issues such as image, security, cleanliness or local transport.
    
 

Businesses decide on the issues they want to address, the amount of funding to be raised and the services they want to implement. These must be agreed upon by a majority of ratepayers in the BID area via a Ballot. Approval of a BID has to meet two tests:

  1. A simple majority of those voting in the BID ballot must vote in favour.
  2. Those voting in favour must represent a majority by rateable value.