BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS WORKING GROUP
BIDS: ADVICE REGARDING INVOLVEMENT OF OWNERS: Paper 05/02
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Introduction
Further to the December meeting Billy McKenzie (secretary to the BIDs Working Group) was requested to seek comment from both the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in relation to the Circle Initiative model to involve property owners formally via legislation.
The proposal tabled by the Circle Initiative for English Legislation were broadly accepted by the Group as being suitable, following 'tartanisation', for implementation in Scotland. Indeed with respect to the issue of identification of owners, it would in fact be simpler in Scotland.
Scottish Assessors Association
The following comments from the SAA relate to the identification, administration and set up of the voting registers
- Costs - Confirmation is sought as to who would be responsible for the costs of administering the register
- Use of the Valuation Roll - Unlike England the Valuation Roll does contain details of Owner, Tenant(s) and Occupier (as provided to the Assessor) and although not conclusive as to these interests they could be so assumed for the purposes of BID legislation. It would certainly be "cleaner" in relation to the Assessor/ERO situation in making up the BID Electoral Register. The Valuation Roll could be given status as the Ownership/Tenancy/Occupation "Bible" but with some sort of "appeal" position in relation to "errors" arising from erroneous, late etc information.
- Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) - In England the ERO is normally also the Returning Officer but two separate individuals will be involved in Scotland. Assessors as EROs are ideally placed to identify the properties within a BID boundary and from the Valuation Roll can identify Owners, Tenants and Occupiers as well as Rateable Value.
- Returning Officer - Arrangements for the Ballot and the even handed publicity should be the responsibility of the RO, rather than the ERO whose duties should extend only to compilation of the Register and what will be the equivalent of an "Absent Voters List".
- Levy - There is a need however to provide arrangements to obtain details of the actual Ratepayer from Councils' Finance records.
RICS
RICS have not as yet been able to respond. They have promised that a substantive response will be submitted to the Group shortly.
BIDWG Secretariat
January 2005