A BID is a Business Improvement District.
BID’s are part of the government’s long-term strategy to encourage partnership working between a Local Authority and the business community. A BID is a defined area within which rate-paying businesses decide on new improvements to help transform their area – and then vote to agree the investment. This money is then ring-fenced to provide the improvements agreed through the BID strategy.
There are currently over 300 BIDs across the UK, with some in to their 3rd or even 4th term. They see improvements to business profitability and turnover which would not have happened without a BID.
BIDs can be developed in towns, cities and industrial estates.
Essentially a BID is designed to be for the businesses, controlled by the businesses.
A BID normally lasts for five years. Some BIDs choose to run for three years. A BID can be renewed for future periods, but needs to go through a renewal process which involves local businesses.
Brighouse has recently gone through a shift in tone of voice and brand messaging, to create a friendly, recognisable brand identity which better reflects the nature of our town.
The end goal is to help visitors old and new recognise Brighouse as a safe, lively destination town in the North. Our aim is to become a one-stop shop for local people and those within the wider catchment area, to run their daily errands and discover the hidden gems that our town has to offer – leading to increased turnover and a more vibrant economy across the whole town and its surrounding area…
This is a not-for profit company, board members would be made up of volunteer individuals who represent the cross section of businesses and organisations across the area. BID Boards normally appoint a project manager and support staff to implement the projects identified in the plan. These can be employed directly by the BID or via a specialist project management company who will also then offer strategic support.
The vision and objectives of the BID will be determined by you, the businesses as part of the consultation process. They will be outlined in the Business Plan that you vote upon. The action plans drawn up during the BID’s lifetime will all relate back to these objectives.
However it is important to remember that the BID will not replace the existing services provided by the local authority– these will be benchmarked and monitored by the BID Company to ensure that the money generated through the BID is used for the improvements voted for by the businesses in the BID district.
To view our current business plan and the goals we are working towards, please click here.
The following map shows the agreed BID boundary for the Brighouse area. Businesses outside the designated area can still become part of what BID do by becoming a voluntary levy member – if you would like more details about this contact helen.holdsworth@brighousebid.co.uk
You and the other businesses will identify the issues that will be tackled by the BID in the town.
However you can be certain that the BID will offer:
- Regular social media promotion on the Visit Brighouse channels
- Opportunity to engage with consumers through third party campaigns (LoyalFree & Totally Locally)
- Involvement in multimedia campaigns such as videos and photoshoots
- Press opportunities with local print and broadcast media
- Addition to the Visit Brighouse web directory and printed guides
- Private B2B seminars and events
- Newsletter inclusion
The development of the BID is funded by Calderdale Council. The BID itself is funded by the businesses in the BID district and aims to be both fair and transparent. If the majority of businesses vote for the BID, all businesses in the area will be subject to an additional levy to their rates. This overcomes the problem of a few businesses paying for improvements that benefit many. We also hope that the BID will serve as a catalyst for change and bring in more investment to the area.
As a voluntary member, we will offer you all of this support in return for an annual fee. Levy payers currently pay 1.75% of their rateable value plus inflationary increases as per the Brighouse BID prospectus / business plan. Businesses can join the BID at any time.
You will – when it comes to renewing and once the BID strategy has been drawn-up, you will be asked to vote on whether you would like it to go ahead.
For the BID to proceed, those who vote in favour must represent a majority of the vote by number of votes and aggregate rateable value.
Contact us to register your details and receive regular e-bulletins and updates about the BID’s progress and activities, and participate in our consultations and working groups. Alternatively you can sign up to our mailing list here.
If you want to be a part of our mission to raise the profile of Brighouse, please email richard@brighousebid.co.uk / helen.holdsworth@brighousebid.co.uk or call 01484 937006 and we can deliver a welcome pack with everything you need to get started.
