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BATHGATE BID UNVEILS 'A GOOD IDEA FOR BATHGATE' FILM IN ADVANCE OF BALLOT
The Bathgate Business Improvement District (BID) team is hosting a screening of its 'A Good Idea for Bathgate' film at a special information event on Tuesday 5th February.
The evening is being held at the beginning of the ballot period when businesses will vote on whether they want Bathgate to become the first traditional town centre in Scotland to achieve BID status.
Independent businesses are at the forefront of the Bathgate BID and clearly see the advantages that it will bring to the town centre.
Taking place at the Regal Theatre in Bathgate and commencing at 6pm, the event will be the ideal opportunity for businesses to discuss the BID.
All businesses in Bathgate are invited to attend, as are local MSPs and representatives from West Lothian Council.
The film which discusses what a BID will mean for Bathgate and includes contributions from many businesses will be shown at 7.00pm. It will be followed by a question and answer session with Ian Davison Porter, BIDS Scotland Project Director, Sam Crawford, Chair of the Bathgate BID Steering Group and David Stein from the Bathgate Traders Forum. The evening will conclude with an informal session in the lounge bar where people will have the chance to chat to the BID team on a one-to-one basis. It is expected that the evening will conclude around 9pm.
The film was made by local company Show Real Productions.
Amanda Finlayson, BID Co-ordinator said: "Our business plan and ballot paper are being sent out to all businesses at the end of this week. As we are about to enter the all important ballot period for the BID, we want to ensure that everyone who can vote has access to as much information as possible and this event is a great way of bringing people together and providing them with all they need to make an informed decision The evening will be informal and relaxed and we hope as many businesses as possible will be able to send a representative."
She concluded: "I'd like to remind everyone that it will be a postal ballot system and all votes must be received by the closing date of 14th March. I'd also urge people to make sure that they cast their vote and support this great initiative - the BID model provides a mechanism for businesses to work together for the benefit and development of Bathgate's future regeneration and for collaborative partnerships to deliver a vital and vibrant Bathgate town centre."
A tried and tested business led strategy which supports local business growth, economic development and regeneration; BIDs have been in operation throughout the world for nearly 40 years with over 1,400 successfully established. There are 58 successful BIDs in England, with Dublin being the first BID in Eire.
There are currently six pilot BID areas in Scotland (Bathgate, Clackmannanshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow and Inverness), established by the Scottish Government in 2006 with Dunfermline recently confirming its intention to develop a BID for Dunfermline city centre and Alloa also announcing the development of its town centre BID.
Projects and services delivered by a BID must be additional to those provided by the statutory authorities and may include services or projects associated with accessibility, safety and security, environmental improvements, marketing and promotion or asset management.
Priorities identified by Bathgate?s businesses for the BID include improving Bathgate's image, making the town centre cleaner and more attractive, improving safety and security, improving public and private transport access and for the BID to act as the voice of business and represent it to government and other organisations.
Sam Crawford Chair of the Bathgate BID added: "The Enterprising Bathgate BID has already shown that with minimal public sector financial support and a strong private sector lead, improvements can be made. Our shopfront improvement programme is an example of this, where for some £40K of public sector finance over £200K of private sector investment has been created. BIDs are hard work but done properly I believe they can make a vital difference to a town centre's prospects."
Ian Davison Porter, Project Director for BIDS Scotland, concluded: "BIDs is a proven strategy that works for businesses and aids the regeneration of town centres, especially when the BID strategy is a part of a holistic town centre strategy. Town centre BIDs elsewhere in the UK have shown what can be done by having strong business direction and support whilst working in partnership with the statutory authorities. This is precisely what the Bathgate BID is doing and can deliver when they get a yes vote on the 14th March. I would say that if the local businesses of Bathgate want an improved town centre and be able to better compete with other towns and shopping centres there is only one way to vote. "
(Ends)
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For further information please contact Anna Gormley at The BIG Partnership on 01592 643200.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1 What is a BID? A Business Improvement District (BID) is a precisely defined geographical area of a town, city, commercial district or rural area, where non domestic ratepayers have voted to invest collectively in local improvements in addition to those delivered by statutory authorities. This is a business-led strategy where businesses work together and invest collectively in local improvements to their business environment. A BID is often, although not exclusively, a partnership arrangement through which the local business community and statutory authorities can take forward projects and services which will benefit the local economy. A BID is not a substitute for central or local government services, but is an innovative and effective way that additional funding can be raised, with the businesses deciding how it should be spent to strengthen the local business economy.
2 A proven approach. BIDs were originally started in Canada in the late 1960s, spreading to the US in the 1970s. A measure of their popularity is that some 1400 have been established worldwide and to date almost 99 per cent have been given a new mandate by the businesses involved in the BID area when they come up for renewal ? usually every three to five years.
3 Services and benefits. The type of services a BID could pay for will reflect those identified by the businesses themselves, but could include services or projects associated with access, safety and security, environmental improvements, marketing and promotion, asset management, collective procurement or business to business. Although those mentioned above are typical however this does not mean a BID must be limited to these, as long as all parties to the BID agree on the improvement that needs to be made and the steps required to achieve them.
4 Business Improvement Districts Scotland (BIDS)
In March 2006 six pilot projects were established by the Scottish Government and between 2006 and 2008, the Executive is providing around £1 million to support the development of this business strategy for Scotland. Bathgate and Falkirk are the two Scottish BID pilots representing town centres with the other pilots covering Clackmannanshire business parks, and the Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness city centres.
5 The model for developing a BID
Usually a steering group is established, perhaps initiated by the public sector, but made up predominantly of private sector individuals. After consultation with the businesses, the steering group will identify the proposed BID geographical area, the issues to be addressed and the projects to be included in a business plan. The plan will also set out the delivery mechanisms and performance indicators, as well as the BID governance and management structures. An investment levy calculated on the non domestic rates valuation will also be proposed in the business plan. In Scotland, levy contributions could be made by a combination of tenants and property owners, or by tenants alone. Each tenant and, if applicable, property owner who will be asked to pay the levy will be able to vote on whether or not the BID goes ahead. A BID proposal in Scotland will only go ahead if more than half the businesses vote in favour and they represent more than half of the rateable value of those businesses that vote. A Scottish BID will have a maximum duration of five years after which the BID is required to seek a new mandate from the businesses in the BID area.
Date: 30-01-2008
