Issue - meetings

The Interim Director of Place to present a report which sets out proposals for a second term for the York Business Improvement District (BID), outlines the renewal prospectus and voting process, and seeks Executive support to allow a renewal ballot for the York BID to take place between 28 January and 25 February 2021.

Resolved:  (i)      That the BID be supported in their campaign to secure a second term in York through a ballot of all businesses in the BID area set out in Annex 1.

(ii)      That the Leader of the Council be requested to cast the Council’s ballot votes in support of a further term.

Reason:     To allow the work of the BID and its partners to continue to boost the city centre economy, and to ease difficult trading conditions for retailers, particularly in a post-pandemic recovery environment.

                   (iii)     That the content of the BID Business Plan and the council’s Baseline Service Level Agreements be noted.

                   (iv)    That the role of the York BID, Make it York and other key city partners in supporting the city centre economy be noted.

Reason:     To be clear on the role of all partners, as well as the commitments of the council, in maintaining statutory services.

The Interim Director of Place presented a report which set out proposals for a second term for the York Business Improvement District (BID), outlined the renewal prospectus and voting process, and sought Executive support for a renewal ballot for the York BID.

The first York BID had been voted in by City Centre levy payers in November 2015.  It began operating in April 2016 across the geographical area shown in Annex 1 to the report, and was coming to the end of its 5-year term.  The BID had proved popular with most levy payers and its role in supporting York businesses and promoting the city centre had been particularly valuable during the pandemic.  The council was a major levy payer, provided essential baseline services (as set out in Annex 2), collected the levy on behalf of the BID and had a vote in the ballot renewal process.  The ballot had been delayed by the recent lockdown and was now due to take place between 18 February and 18 March 2021.

Andrew Lowson, Executive Director of York BID, spoke in support of the proposals, noting that the partnership work in response to Covid-19 had strengthened relationships and left businesses better able to respond to key challenges.  A second term would enable the BID to take a more strategic approach.  The draft Business Plan (published as Annex 3 in the Agenda Supplement) was in the process of completion and the final version would be made available online.

On behalf of the Executive, the Chair thanked the staff and volunteers of the BID for their work since 2016 and especially over the past ten months, and it was

Resolved:  (i)      That the BID be supported in their campaign to secure a second term in York through a ballot of all businesses in the BID area set out in Annex 1.

(ii)      That the Leader of the Council be requested to cast the Council’s ballot votes in support of a further term.

Reason:     To allow the work of the BID and its partners to continue to boost the city centre economy, and to ease difficult trading conditions for retailers, particularly in a post-pandemic recovery environment.

                   (iii)     That the content of the BID Business Plan and the council’s Baseline Service Level Agreements be noted.

                   (iv)    That the role of the York BID, Make it York and other key city partners in supporting the city centre economy be noted.

Reason:     To be clear on the role of all partners, as well as the commitments of the council, in maintaining statutory services.