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Scheme to boost city centre passes major milestone

Aberdeen city centre businesses will be balloted next month on proposals to establish a Business Improvement District (BID).

Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Committee members agreed unanimously to hold a postal ballot of one vote per eligible businesses from 23 June – with ballot papers to be returned by 03 August and results announced in the week commencing 08 August.

The BID will become operational in October if more than 50% of businesses with a rateable value of £27,500 vote in favour – and if they amount to 25% of the total number of eligible voters. The total rateable value of those businesses voting ‘yes’ must also exceed that of those voting against the BID for it to go ahead.

The aim is to cement a partnership between Aberdeen City Council and the business community to deliver projects which benefit trading by boosting promotion of the city centre, improving its services and enhancing its fabric and environment.

Eligible businesses within the BID footprint would pay a levy of 1% of their non-domestic rateable value annually. The money would be collected by Aberdeen City Council and passed to the Aberdeen BID Development Co Ltd – which would plough the proceeds into special programmes and environmental improvements.

Projects could focus on a range of issues, including promotion, cleansing and litter, public safety and CCTV, public toilets, signage, waste management, parking, transport, roads maintenance, events, festive lighting and street trading.

The initiative is expected to raise about £3.5 million for projects over the BID’s initial five-year lifespan, after which businesses would be balloted again to discover if a majority want it to carry on.

Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure convener Councillor Kate Dean said: “From the groundwork that has been carried out so far, we are receiving positive feedback from city centre businesses of all kinds.

“Clearly my committee agreed that founding a BID is an excellent way of raising extra funding specifically for the city centre, for projects and service enhancements which the business community chooses. I would urge all those who are eligible to take part in the ballot – and if a majority backs the idea we can look forward to five years of vital extra investment.”

Gerry Brough, the council’s Programme Director for Economic and Business Development, said: “We are working with all interested parties in the creation of a vibrant, safe and attractive city centre. In their consultations with local businesses, the BID team are recording strong support.

“Significant improvements over the five-year life of the project can be achieved once the business community is given the chance to create the BID. The City Council is confident that the project plan can be delivered and that it will play its part in lifting Aberdeen’s main shopping centres to equal any other major city in the country.”

BIDs have been successfully created across the UK in recent years, including in Edinburgh, Inverness and Falkirk.

Further details of the BID proposal are available at http://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=1907&T=10 on the Aberdeen City Council website.

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