Decision details

Cabinet received a report and was informed that the Business Improvement District (BID) operating in High Wycombe Town Centre (HWBIDCo) would come to an end on the 30 September 2022.  HWBIDCo had served notice of its intent to instruct the billing authority (Buckinghamshire Council) to put a new BID proposal to ballot to enable a third five-year term from 1 October 2022.  Notice had also been served by the Cressex BID Steering Group of its intent to instruct Buckinghamshire Council to carry out a ballot on a proposal to create a new BID on Cressex Business Park from 1 October 2022.

Legislation required the Council to put ballot arrangements in place and, on receipt of a successful ballot outcome, make arrangements for the billing and collection of a levy payment. The Council was also required to work with the BID proposers to develop baseline service and operating agreements to ensure that activities carried out by the BID was additional to that provided by the local authority and that reasonable charges for levy billing and collection were agreed.

The importance to both the town centre in High Wycombe and Cressex Business Park in achieving BID status was that each BID, over the period of 2022 – 2027, would generate c £1.2m and £1.45m business-led investment to support their respective trading environments and would enable the delivery of a targeted range of improvements to benefit businesses and the local economy.

The Cabinet report set out the Council’s statutory obligations in this process along with an overview of the activity carried out by HWBIDCo and the Cressex BID Steering Group to provide assurance that this had been carried out as per the requirements of the 2004 Regulations.

RESOLVED –

(1)               That it be NOTED that the Buckinghamshire Council has received two notices of intent to ballot for HWBIDCo (High Wycombe Town Centre) and the Cressex BID Steering Group (Cressex Business Park).

(2)               That it be NOTED that arrangements are being put in place for a postal ballot and for the Returning Officer, with the support of the Economic Development Manager, to appoint Civica to undertake this.

(3)               That Cabinet confirms its full support to the creation of a new Business Improvement District on Cressex Business Park and for the continuation of High Wycombe Town Centre BID (HWBIDCo).

(4)               That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Planning, Growth and Sustainability, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, to vote ‘Yes’ in the HWBIDCo ballot and the Cressex Business Park ballot, subject to ballot offers being satisfactory.

(5)               That, subject to a ‘Yes’ vote, authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Planning, Growth and Sustainability, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Members and Services areas, to agree the detailed service level agreements in line with the business plans submitted and any operational decisions required to enable both BIDs to commence from 1 October 2022.