You can contact your local BID directly to find out more about the BID development process, its planned activities and for a copy of the business plan.
What are Business Improvement Districts?
Business Improvement Districts are business-led partnerships which are created through a ballot process to deliver additional services to local businesses, above what the council can deliver.
Legislation enabling the formation of BIDs was passed under the Local Government Act 2003, specifically the BIDs (England) Regulations 2004. A BID is a not-for-profit company formed within a defined geographical area and delivers a programme of agreed actions set out in an approved business plan.
The role of City of Wolverhampton Council
City of Wolverhampton Council has three statutory roles in the delivery of the BIDs in the borough:
- The provision of baseline statement of services
- Role in carrying out the ballot
- If the ballot is successful, role as billing authority.
The council was instructed by the business-led BID proposers in Wolverhampton to run the month-long BID ballot in 2024. They notified the Secretary of State and submitted their five-year business plans at this point.
The ballot was undertaken by Civica ERS on behalf of City of Wolverhampton Council. This was carried out in accordance with the BID regulations 2004.
A successful vote is one that has a simple majority both in votes cast and in rateable value of votes cast. Each business entitled to vote in a Business Improvement District ballot is allowed one vote in respect of each property occupied or (if unoccupied) owned by them in the geographical area of the Business Improvement District. Once the Business Improvement District is in operation the levy is charged on all businesses within the Business Improvement District area (regardless of whether or how that business voted in the ballot). These ballots were successful and are valid.
The ballot
Businesses that are subject to the levy, as set out in the proposals, vote in a ballot. This determines whether the scheme goes ahead.
A successful vote is one that has a simple majority both in votes cast and in rateable value of votes cast. Each business entitled to vote in a Business Improvement District ballot is allowed one vote in respect of each property occupied or (if unoccupied) owned by them in the geographical area of the Business Improvement District.
Once the Business Improvement District is in operation, the levy is charged on all businesses within the Business Improvement District area (regardless of whether or how that business voted in the ballot).
Further information
More information about BIDs is available by visiting Business Improvement Districts.
BIDs can be a powerful tool for directly involving local businesses in local activities and allow the business community and local authorities to work together to improve the local trading environment.
You will be liable to pay a BID levy if you are responsible for Business Rates for a property in the BID area.