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Lewes and Eastbourne
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Decision details

Eastbourne Town Centre Business Improvement District

Decision Maker: Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

Your Eastbourne BID (Business Improvement District) is in the process of preparing a BID proposal which will go to a ballot in July 2019. The proposal sets out the additional services and enhancements the BID company will provide above a baseline of services that the council and its partners already provide Businesses within the Town Centre BID boundary. Businesses will vote on whether to approve the BID proposal and Levy.

 

A levy of 1.5% of the properties rateable value will be made and collected annually through the Business Rates system by the Council. It is anticipated the levy will generate £1.5m over the entire 5 year period of the BID.

 

Cabinet will be required to approve the business plan and to instruct the Council’s returning Officer to proceed with the ballot in conjunction with the ballot contractor.

Decision:

(Key decision):

 

(1) That the Business Improvement District (BID) Plan as set out at appendix 1 to the report be approved.

 

(2) To approve the BID ballot date and to authorise the Council’s Returning Officer (as ‘ballot holder’) to proceed with the ballot and require the Functional Lead for Growth and Prosperity to supply up to date rating list information to the ballot contractor.

 

(3) That the Chief Finance Officer be given delegated authority to:-

 

i. determine the statement of baseline services and baseline agreement annually.

 

ii. operate a BID revenue account and pass over monies to the BID company.

 

(4) To confirm that the expected costs of the ballot (c. £3,400) would be met by the Council.

 

(5) To agree that the initial ‘one off’ software costs required to collect the levy (c. £22,500) would be met by the Council.

 

(6) To agree that the Council would pay the estimated annual

BID levy cost (c. £5,600) for Council owned properties within the BID boundary.

 

(7) That the Director of Service Delivery be given delegated authority to:-

 

i. approve the operating agreement.

 

ii. vote in favour of the BID area in respect of the Council owned properties that fall within the BID area.

 

iii. administer, bill and collect the levies under the BID scheme.

 

iv. review the costs associated with the Council’s administration and collection of the BID levy at the end of year 1, should the ballot be successful.

 

(8) To note that the Council’s reasonable costs of collecting the levy and the associated financial management costs would be recoverable from the BID levy monies, as specified in paragraph 8.4 of the report.

 

(9) To note that the Council’s Returning Officer be permitted to delegate his responsibilities to others and that he has engaged the services of the Electoral Reform Services Ltd to undertake the ballot on his behalf.

Report author: Nick Ducatel

Publication date: 06/06/2019

Date of decision: 05/06/2019

Decided at meeting: 05/06/2019 - Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet

Effective from: 14/06/2019

Accompanying Documents: