Winchester BID - Q&A

What is a BID?
How does a BID come about?
What are the benefits of BIDs?
How long does a BID last?
What area of Winchester will it cover?
What projects will be included?
Who will benefit from the Winchester BID?
What will the Winchester BID cost?
How is Winchester City Council involved?
What is the ballot process?
If the ballot is successful, when will the projects start?

What is a Bid?
'BID' stands for 'Business Improvement District'. Through consultation local businesses decided what improvements they want to see in the BID area and how much money they want to spend on them. But if the businesses don't vote for it through their ballot, it won't happen. The funding is fair to all businesses, as it is based on rateable value - so the smaller businesses don't pay as much. Winchester City centre Partnership is proposing a BID in Winchester city centre.

How does a BID come about?
A business representative, often the existing town centre management company, starts the ball rolling. Through a process of consultation with local businesses, the city centre partnership decided on the levy that is set and what projects the money should be spent on. The BID proposer has to work closely with the Local Authority who hold the National Non-Domestic Rates information, and who have the ability to run the BID ballot process.

What are the benefits of BIDs?
BIDs allow businesses to influence change in their area. BID projects often result in a cleaner and safer trading environment, which means that visitors to the area come back time and time again, and stay for longer periods. That means increased spend in BID area businesses. BIDs often help a location establish a competitive regional advantage as a better location to do business. An improved environment for clients and employees and better facilities for businesses can be big selling points.

The BID also provides match funding which might lever in further inward investment to the area through voluntary contributions, pooling money to invest in economies of scale. The money is sustainable over a period of up to five years, so long term projects can be tackled, in addition to the 'quick wins'.

As the BID company is representative of the local businesses, they can provide a useful voice into other local authority consultations.

How long does a BID last?
A BID can last for a maximum of five years. If it is successful, another ballot may be held towards the end of this period to decide whether the BID should continue for another five years.

What area of Winchester will it cover?
The BID proposed by Winchester City Centre Partnership will cover the city centre, from the train station down to Chesil Street, and along part of Romsey Road. Click here for a full list of affected streets.

What projects will be included?
The BID business plan being proposed covers the following projects;

• Street management
  • Enhanced cleaning services
  • Floral display programme
  • Festive decorations and city dressing
  • Waste management intiative
• Improve safety
  • Police Community Support Officers
  • Graffiti and fly posting
  • Shopwatch and Pubwatch
  • Diverted giving scheme
• Promoting business
  • Marketing campaign
  • Christmas festival
  • Retail guide
• Broadening participation
  • Networking events

The full business plan with details on these projects can be downloaded here.

Who will benefit from the Winchester BID?
The BID will benefit everyone in the BID area. Visitors to the area will find Winchester a safer and more pleasant environment to be in. Retailers, pubs, restaurants and cafes will benefit from increased footfall and visitor spend. The business community will have more opportunity to get involved and influence their local area, and benefit from economies of scale such as the waste management initiative and the festive decorations.

What will the Winchester BID cost?
The cost to businesses will be up to 1.5% on the rateable value of the property. So premises with a rateable value of £5,000 will pay £75 a year, and premises with a rateable value of £80,000 will pay £1200. That is all they will have to pay, with no more contributions being sought for Christmas lights or other projects. Just one fee. Full details of the payments can be found in the business plan. Click here for more details.

How is Winchester City Council involved?
Winchester City Council agreed to be involved in the development of the BID in Winchester. They have helped with the consultation process, and provided the list of rateable properties in the area. More recently, the elections team have organised the BID ballot which closes on 26th July. If the BID vote is positive, the revenues team will collect the levy, and ring fence the money for the BID company to spend.

The BID money is not spent on work Winchester City Council do already. The council, along with Hampshire County Council and the Police authority, have provided baseline statements of their current activities. This is to monitor that any work undertaken by the BID adds value to that already carried out, and does not use the extra investment to undertake work the authorities already do.

What is the ballot process?
Ballot papers have been sent out from Winchester City Council's elections team, and must be received back by 5pm, Thursday 26th July 2007. The result will be announced on Friday 27th July. For the BID ballot to have a positive result, over 50% of the votes received must be in favour of the BID, and of the votes received, over 50% of the rateable value represented must be in favour of the BID.

If the ballot is successful, when will the projects start?
The first levy collection will take place in January 2008. This allows enough time for Winchester City Centre Partnership to negotiate contracts between August and January, and for work to commence by April 2008.