Raynsford launches 22 more pilot BIDs

News

Piers Wehner

21 January 2003

The government and the Association of Town Centre Managers (ATCM) today launched 22 pilot business improvement district schemes (BIDs).

The pilot projects, spearheaded by the ATCM, will be used to test US-style BIDs across the country and will inform government guidance, to be published in the next two years, on how to set up a BID.

Local government minister Nick Raynsford made the announcement today as he published new draft government guidance on BIDs, which are partnership arrangements through which councils and local businesses can take forward schemes of benefit to the local community.

The guidance shows how businesses and councils can work together to solve local problems, encourage commercial activity and create jobs, as well as providing practical information and advice to businesses and councils wanting to set up a Business Improvement District (BID) in their local area.

The 22 pilot schemes are for Bedford, Birmingham, Blackpool, Brandon, Bristol, Bromley, Coventry, Ealing, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hull, Keswick, Lincoln, Liverpool, London’s New West End Company, Manchester, Newquay, Peterborough, Plymouth, Reading, Swansea and Warwickshire.

The scheme follows the partial success of five London BIDs set up by the Circle Initiative and the London Development Agency.

Ministers believe another wave of pilots is needed to inform the guidance that will be published after the Local Government Bill receives Royal Consent later this year.

Under the Bill, local businesses and local authorities will vote to establish a BID and schemes will be financed from a levy added on to business rates.

BIDs are supported by some of the UKs biggest property companies and are seen as a way of reviving rundown town centres and high streets, even though the current legislation does not compel landlords to put any money into the schemes.

But Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Federation, hopes that the pilots will convince the government to include a clause in the Bill to compel landlords to buy into BIDs.

EGi News 21/01/03

The government and the Association of Town Centre Managers (ATCM) today launched 22 pilot business improvement district schemes (BIDs). The pilot projects, spearheaded by the ATCM, will be used to test US-style BIDs across the country and will inform government guidance, to be published in the next two years, on how to set up a BID. Local government minister Nick Raynsford made the announcement today as he published new draft government guidance on BIDs, which are partnership arrangements through which councils and local businesses can take forward schemes of benefit to the local community. The guidance shows how businesses and councils can work together to solve local problems, encourage commercial activity and create jobs, as well as providing practical information and advice to businesses and councils wanting to set up a Business Improvement District (BID) in their local area. The 22 pilot schemes are for Bedford, Birmingham, Blackpool, Brandon, Bristol, Bromley, Coventry, Ealing, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hull, Keswick, Lincoln, Liverpool, London’s New West End Company, Manchester, Newquay, Peterborough, Plymouth, Reading, Swansea and Warwickshire. The scheme follows the partial success of five London BIDs set up by the Circle Initiative and the London Development Agency. Ministers believe another wave of pilots is needed to inform the guidance that will be published after the Local Government Bill receives Royal Consent later this year. Under the Bill, local businesses and local authorities will vote to establish a BID and schemes will be financed from a levy added on to business rates. BIDs are supported by some of the UKs biggest property companies and are seen as a way of reviving rundown town centres and high streets, even though the current legislation does not compel landlords to put any money into the schemes. But Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Federation, hopes that the pilots will convince the government to include a clause in the Bill to compel landlords to buy into BIDs. EGi News 21/01/03