Agenda item

(a)  That the progress of the Slough BID development phase be noted;

(b)  That the responsibility of casting a Yes vote, on behalf of the Council in the Slough BID ballot to be held in June 2019, be delegated to the Director of Regeneration following consultation with the Leader of Slough Borough Council and portfolio holder for Regeneration & Strategy;

(c)  If a No vote was recommended by Cabinet, a further report would be delivered to Cabinet to note the next steps;

(d)  That the Director of Regeneration and / or his nominee(s) be nominated as the Council’s officer representatives on the BID Company Board once it was set up following a successful ballot;

(e)  That subject to a Yes vote at ballot by the business community of Slough town centre, the Council as relevant local billing authority would manage the billing and collection of the additional levy, and its transfer to the Slough BID company;

(f)  That it be noted that the Authority would pay a levy of approximately £155,000 over the five year term of the BID against a total approximate levy income of £2,050,000 

(g)  That the start date for the BID be noted as 1st April 2020.

The Service Lead for Economic Development introduced a report outlining the progress of the Business Improvement District (BID) for Slough town centre and sought approval on the balloting and revenues collection procedures.

The BID would be a business-led initiative which would place a levy on business rate payers in the town centre to support a programme of measures aimed at making the centre safer, cleaner and more welcoming.  The introduction of the levy was subject to a ballot of business ratepayers and this was planned to be held in June 2019.  In the event of a ‘yes’ vote, the BID would begin in April 2020 with ratepayers receiving a single bill inclusive of the levy.

Members asked what had been done to engage town centre businesses in the process of developing the BID prospectus.  Consultants had been commissioned to speak to businesses and surveys had been carried out to identify their priorities.  A business-led BID steering group had been formed and it had developed the BID proposal.  The Cabinet welcomed the principle of BID in empowering businesses to take ownership in shaping plans to make the town centre more vibrant and attractive to visit.  The additional resources the levy would generate was expected to be circa £2m over the five years of the BID.  In response to a question about the impact on small businesses, it was noted that businesses with a rateable value of less than £10,000 would be exempt from the levy.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the Cabinet agreed that the BID could have a positive role in engaging businesses in the town centre and funding activity to make the town centre more attractive.  The recommendations were approved.

Resolved –

(a)  That the progress of the Slough BID development phase be noted;

(b)  That the responsibility of casting a Yes vote, on behalf of the Council in the Slough BID ballot to be held in June 2019, be delegated to the Director of Regeneration following consultation with the Leader of Slough Borough Council and portfolio holder for Regeneration & Strategy;

(c)  If a No vote was recommended by Cabinet, a further report would be delivered to Cabinet to note the next steps;

(d)  That the Director of Regeneration and / or his nominee(s) be nominated as the Council’s officer representatives on the BID Company Board once it was set up following a successful ballot;

(e)  That subject to a Yes vote at ballot by the business community of Slough town centre, the Council as relevant local billing authority would manage the billing and collection of the additional levy, and its transfer to the Slough BID company;

(f)  That it be noted that the Authority would pay a levy of approximately £155,000 over the five year term of the BID against a total approximate levy income of £2,050,000;

(g)  That the start date for the BID be noted as 1st April 2020.