Business Improvement Districts

HL Deb 08 May 2001 vol 625 cc181-2WA

Lord Sheppard of Didgemere

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Prime Minister's announcement on 24 April in favour of establishing small, United States-style business improvement districts instead of levying a supplementary business rate, how they will take account of the need for business leadership, including landowners as well as occupiers. [HL2040]

Lord Whitty

The basis of a business improvement district (BID) would be a contract for the delivery of additional services and improvements, funded by an additional rate on properties within the BID area. The parties to the BID would be the local authority and the business ratepayers in the area, a majority of whom must have agreed to the additional rate.

The detailed working of the BID would be for local agreement, which could include provision for ratepayers to take the leading role, though local authorities would remain accountable for the expenditure.

A property owner who was also the ratepayer would automatically be a party to the BID. Furthermore, the parties to the BID could, if they wished, seek the involvement of non-ratepayers in the work being carried out by BID.