Falkirk Business Improvement District

The Falkirk Business Improvement District (BID) is a focused, business-led collaboration between local businesses, Falkirk Council and other leading public bodies.

 

A BID is a defined area within a town or city where local businesses work with other agencies to enhance and capitalise on its reputation for providing a good range and quality of shops and businesses for locals and visitors alike.  It also allows projects that are a priority for businesses to be taken forward more readily.

 

The Falkirk BID will create a business-led programme of investment to tackle issues identified by businesses, with the aim of increasing the number of people shopping, visiting, working and investing in Falkirk town centre.

The Falkirk BID is the next evolution in managing the town centre. The BID team will work to deliver key initiatives aimed at strengthening and improving Falkirk's position as one of the countries leading town centres.

BID ballot

On Friday 9 May 2008, shopkeepers and retailers in Falkirk's town centre voted in favour of creating the BID.

 

A ballot of local business was conducted by Falkirk Council on behalf of Falkirk & District Town Centre Management Ltd who will lead and deliver the BID. Ballot papers were issued to all local businesses in the proposed BID area seeking their approval for a 1% business rate levy to pay for a range of improvements to the town centre's business environment.

 

The results were announced today:

 

Falkirk town centre BID ballot results

Total number of votes cast in the ballot, excluding any given on ballot papers rejected	216
Aggregate rateable value of each relevant property in respect of which a person voted in the ballot	£9,438,147
Total number of votes cast in favour of the proposed Falkirk Business Improvement District	152
Total number of votes cast against the proposed Falkirk Business Improvement District	64
Aggregate rateable value of each relevant property in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the proposed Falkirk Business Improvement District	£5,846,197
Aggregate rateable value of each relevant property in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted against the proposed Falkirk Business Improvement District	£3,591,950

 

A majority of the Business ratepayers in the proposed BID area voted in favour of the proposal both by aggregate rateable value and numbers voting and therefore the BID arrangements in Falkirk have been approved.

 

Falkirk is one of six pilot BIDs running across Scotland. The extent of Falkirk's proposed BID would extend from Garrison Place in the north of the town, Cow Wynd in the south, West Bridge Street in the west and Callendar Riggs including the bus station to the east.