Issue - meetings

The Oxted Business Improvement District (BID) had been established in 2015 following consideration by the former Resources Committee and the outcome of a statutory ballot of non-domestic ratepayers in the area. The purpose of such BIDs was to improve local commercial areas via levies paid by such ratepayers. 

The operational duration of BIDs was limited to five years, at which point fresh ballots were required to determine whether they could continue. The Oxted BID’s first term should have finished on 31^st December 2020 but this was extended as part of the Covid-19 legislation.

A report was submitted inviting the Committee to support the renewal of the Oxted BID and for the Council’s vote (as one of the non-domestic ratepayers in the town) to be cast accordingly. The report explained that the renewal ballot (proposing an on-going 2% levy rate) would take place between the 18^th February and 18^th March 2021, to be administered by Civica Election Services at a cost of £1,855 plus VAT. The Council was required pay for the ballot unless the vote was lost, and turnout was less than 20%, in which case BID itself would be liable. The BID levy would be mandatory for all liable businesses, regardless of whether or how they vote.

Although the Council had been financing levy collection costs (£980 for postage and £806 staff time) since the BID’s inception, the report recommended that such costs be reimbursed by the BID in future. The BID’s draft business plan was appended to the report to help inform the Committee’s decision.  

Members spoke in favour of the Council’s continued support for the initiative and commented on the valued support which the BID had provided to Oxted business throughout the pandemic.  

            R E S O L V E D – that:

A.    the Council votes in support of a Business Improvement District in Oxted; and

B.    the cost of levy collection be met by the Oxted BID.