Published on Thursday 31 March 2022
Bournemouth Town Centre BID will operate for a third five-year term. This follows an announcement of the ballot result today in which 75.66% of levy payers that voted, voted yes to support the Business Improvement District’s ongoing work.
The BID ballot met two key criteria that 50% of those voting, would vote in favour, and those ‘yes’ votes represented a majority of the total rateable value of all of the voting businesses. There was a 88.38% rateable value percentage.
The ballot was facilitated and ratified with the assistance of BCP Council in conjunction with Civica Election Services. Results were confirmed this afternoon. Bournemouth Town Centre BID will now operate through to 30 June 2027.
The BID’s focus will be on redoubling efforts towards a Bournemouth town centre that is a safer and more secure place to visit and spend time, helping to make it a more eventful welcoming, attractive, connected, cleaner and greener environment for everyone.
Two of the BID’s key initiatives will be spearheading the new multi-agency Business Crime Reduction Partnership and the new Rapid Response Graffiti Team for levy payers.
The BID team will continue to work hard with partners including the police and the council to support all levy payers to ensure our town centre is a thriving, vibrant and successful one in which to do business.
Councillor Philip Broadhead, Deputy Leader BCP Council and Cabinet Member for Development, Growth and Regeneration, said "After two challenging years with the Covid-19 pandemic massively impacting retail outlets, we have seen the hugely beneficial impact of the Bournemouth Town Centre BID on our town's prosperity.
"The Town Centre BID remains a key element of our strategy for developing Bournemouth's town centre, ensuring longevity and prosperity for the area.
"This will see Bournemouth and its varied array of businesses continue to receive key support in the coming months and years, and hopefully enable us to welcome new businesses to our burgeoning town centre.’’
In a joint statement, Chairman of the Bournemouth Town Centre BID, Martin Davies and Chief Operating Officer, Paul Kinvig said: "A big thank you to all our levy payers who voted for a further five-year term for the Bournemouth Town Centre BID.
"We recognise and are grateful for the support in these difficult and challenging times.
"We are committed to working with all our levy payers, stakeholders and partners to meet and surpass the challenges we will inevitably face together.
"And as we laid out in our Business Plan, with a new mandate, we can now move forward with a range of initiatives and proposals to help make Bournemouth town centre a vibrant, sustainable and experiential destination, where residents and visitors will want to come more often and stay for longer."