Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

(NOTE: Pursuant to Part 3e, Paragraph 19, of the City Council's Constitution, the Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, Councillor R Brown, or his nominee, has been invited to attend for the consideration of this matter and to agree the need for urgency such that call-in arrangements will not apply. The reason for urgency being that in order to meet the timescale detailed in the report, the Notice of Ballot in relation to the BID proposal needs to be issued on 18 December, 2017)

Further to Minute 12/17, the Cabinet Member considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which indicated that in 2008, the Coventry City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) was established, covering the City Centre area. A BID is a principally business-led and business-funded body, formed with a purpose to improve a defined commercial area.  The aim of the Coventry BID is to enhance, promote, develop and boost the city centre to make it a great place to work and visit.

In a formal ballot of eligible businesses in February 2013, 83% of votes cast were in favour of the Coventry BID being renewed for a second five-year period, from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2018.  As the BID comes to the end of the term of this agreement in March 2018, a new ballot will be required whereby for a new BID period the BID members will need to endorse new BID proposals, including the structure, business plan and proposed budget for the period 2018 – 2023.

The BID is currently hosted by Coventry City Council, following the transfer of city centre management services from CVOne in 2011.  In the new Coventry BID Business Plan for 2018-2023, it is proposed to establish the BID as a new, separate, independent body, thereby aligning Coventry’s arrangements with the structure of the vast majority of BIDs in the country. 

The Council is currently, and would under the proposed new arrangements remain, a BID levy payer.  The Council currently also makes an additional voluntary financial contribution to the operations of the BID, but these arrangements are due to expire in March 2018. 

The Coventry BID Business Plan 2018-2023, a copy of which was appended to the report, aims to focus BID activity towards priority areas of Security and Environment; Enhancing and Promoting; Business Voice and Support.  If BID proposals for a new BID period were not approved at the proposed ballot, a number of the services planned in support of these objectives would not be considered deliverable.

A corresponding private report detailing confidential financial matters was also submitted for consideration (Minute 24 below refers)

Pursuant to Part 3e, Paragraph 19, of the City Council’s Constitution, the Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, Councillor R Brown, attended the meeting for consideration of this matter and agreed the need for urgency such that call-in arrangements will not apply to this issue.  The reason for urgency being that, in order to meet the timescale detailed in the report, the Notice of Ballot in relation to the BID proposal needs to be issued on 18 December, 2017.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration:-

a)  Approves the Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) proposals and timetable to ballot for a new Business Improvement District (BID) and a new agreement for the period 2018-2023

b)  Approves that the Council act as the Ballot Holder in accordance with the Business Improvement District Regulations (England) 2004 and all relevant legislation.

c)  Approves that the Council recover the cost of the BID ballot from the proposers if the ballot is unsuccessful

d)  Approves that, if voted for by the BID levy payers within the ballot, the Council acts as the billing authority responsible for collecting the BID Levy and administering the BID Revenue Account, which shall be used towards the operation of the BID within the area of the Council.

e)  Approves that the Council will charge the BID for the Collection and Administrative Charges for business rates staff in collecting and administering the levy in the sum of £20,000 annually (index linked).

f)  Approves that the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) be delegated authority, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration, to determine how the £75k identified in paragraph 1.5 of the report should be allocated in line with City Council priorities.