Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)
A Business Improvement District (BID) is a precisely defined geographical area of a town, commercial district or tourism and visitor area, where businesses vote to invest collectively in local improvements resulting in an improved business environment and improved local economic growth. BIDs are developed, managed and paid for by the commercial sector by means of a compulsory BID levy.
Before agreeing to fund the additional investment businesses themselves will decide how their money will be spent and how much they are prepared to pay. Each business liable to contribute to the BID will be able to vote on whether or not that BID goes ahead.
A BID can be established wherever additional services to those which the statutory authorities provides are desired by the local business community. It could be located in a town centre, in one or two particular streets or an entire tourism and visitor area. Equally it could be located in an industrial estate, business park or even, if there is sufficient business support, rural areas, including agriculture.
Following publication of "Business Improvement Districts - A Consultation Paper" a Working Group involving stakeholders from both the public and private sectors was set up and published a report which later became the basis of BIDs primary legislation in Scotland. Both the consultation document and papers from the Working Group can be accessed from this section. A further consultation document containing proposals for BIDs secondary legislation was issued in 2006. Those proposals and the Executive's analysis of the responses received largely provided the detail necessary for that secondary legislation.
A BIDs Steering Group was set up to select and oversee the introduction of BID Pilots, partly funded by the Executive, in advance of the legislation. This Group involved experts from the public and private sector who selected 6 BID Pilots in the following areas:
- Business parks in Alloa, Tillicoultry and Alva
- Bathgate town centre
- Edinburgh city centre
- Falkirk town centre
- Glasgow city centre and
- Inverness city centre.
Minutes of Steering Group meetings and related papers are also available (below).
Each BID Pilot developed a BID Proposal and Business Plan with ballots carried out during 2008. Further details on the results of the ballots can be found at www.bids-scotland.com
BIDs came into force in Scotland in April 2007 as a result of primary legislation contained in Part 9 of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 and other secondary legislation, including UK parliamentary regulations to implement reserved aspects of the policy. Those interested in starting a BID should refer to the BIDs Scotland website or contact Ian Davison Porter (BIDs Project Director in Scotland) on 0780 106 4733 or at ian.davisonporter@bids-scotland.com
Links
The BIDS Scotland website
BIDS consultations
Working Group
Steering Group
BID Pilot Projects