Business Improvement Districts (BID) are created where local businesses see the opportunity to invest collectively, by way of a levy, to help make local improvements which will benefit the local community.
They are developed, managed and paid for by the business sector, through a compulsory BID levy, which the businesses within the proposed BID area must vote in favour of before the BID can be established.
Each business liable to contribute to the BID will be able to vote on whether or not the BID goes ahead.
The BID ballot process
This is a confidential postal ballot commissioned by the Ballot Holder. The BID ballot procedure is conducted in accordance with the Business Improvement (Scotland) Regulations 2007.
For the BID to be successful, there must be a minimum of 25 per cent turnout by the number of businesses and by combined rateable value. Of those that vote, over 50 per cent by number, and 50 per cent by combined rateable value, must vote in favour of the BID.
BID's operate on a term by term basis. They have a maximum of five years per term, before having to develop a fresh set of proposals which are then subjected to a further ballot (renewal ballot) of businesses in the BID Area.
St Andrews BID votes in favour of renewal
Results:
| Description | Count |
|---|---|
| The return rate in respect of rateable value is: | 46.4% |
| The return rate in respect of ratepayers is: | 43.8% |
| The total number of votes cast in the ballot, excluding any votes given on ballot papers rejected: | 100 |
| The aggregate rateable value of each relevant property in respect of which a person voted: | 6,236,850 |
| The total number of votes in favour of the question asked in the ballot: | 67 |
| The total number of votes cast against the question asked in the ballot: | 33 |
| The aggregate rateable value of each relevant property, in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the question asked: | 5,084,600 |
| The aggregate rateable value of each relevant property, in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted against the question asked: | 1,152,250 |
Rejected Papers:
| Description | Count |
|---|---|
| Rejected for bearing duplicate ballot paper numbers | 0 |
| Rejected for being unsigned, unmarked or void by uncertainty | 9 |