Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

To obtain Cabinet’s endorsement of proposals to progress to renewal ballots for the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) for Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Royston.

RESOLVED:

(1)   That Cabinet considered the BID renewal proposals for Hitchin, Letchworth and Royston, appended in A, B and C and instructs the Returning Officer to hold the BID renewal Ballots;

(2)   That Cabinet delegated the Council’s voting rights in the BID renewal process to the Service Director – Customers.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: The Council is under a legal duty to comply with the BID arrangements under section 44 of the Local Government Act 2003 (‘the Act”). This includes compliance with the Act and The Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004 (as amended) (“the Regulations”) in respect of receipt of any BID renewal.

Audio recording – 1:01:21

Councillor Keith Hoskins, as Executive Member for Enterprise and Arts, presented the report entitled ‘Hitchin, Letchworth and Royston Business Improvement District (BID) Renewal’ and advised that:

·       There had been some amendments to business plans received, including that the ballot holder was the Service Director – Customers, not the Chief Executive and the contact was with BIDs directly, not the elections team.

·       These proposals qualified for Council support on many counts, especially as they represented a great partnership working arrangement between Council and businesses.

·       For modest investment by the Council there was huge financial investment in the town centres by the BIDs.

·       There was no new money required, though there were some inflationary increases.

·       Civica would run the ballot which had cost around £12k.

·       The Council was being asked to vote ‘Yes’ on Council owned properties in the areas. The cost of the levies would be £20k, £100k over the 5-year BID period, but this would generate £3.85million into town centres and therefore represented a superb investment.

Councillor Ian Albert noted that he welcomed this renewal report and recognised the importance of the BIDs and the work they have done in town centres. In future, it may be possible to charge the BIDs themselves to cover the costs of the renewal ballot, but this would require an e-billing option before it could proceed. Whilst some costs could be recouped, there was still a desire to see BIDs succeed and therefore the Council would not look to charge all costs to them.

In response to a question from Councillor Ruth Brown, Councillor Hoskins advised that the Hitchin industrial area had not been included, the extended area was an additional section of the High Street. The industrial area had been explored but there was little appetite to be included in the BID.

Councillor Keith Hoskins proposed and Councillor Ian Albert seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED:

(1)   That Cabinet considered the BID renewal proposals for Hitchin, Letchworth and Royston, appended in A, B and C and instructs the Returning Officer to hold the BID renewal Ballots;

(2)   That Cabinet delegated the Council’s voting rights in the BID renewal process to the Service Director – Customers.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: The Council is under a legal duty to comply with the BID arrangements under section 44 of the Local Government Act 2003 (‘the Act”). This includes compliance with the Act and The Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004 (as amended) (“the Regulations”) in respect of receipt of any BID renewal.