The Ilkley BID (Business Improvement District) is starting a formal process of consultation with BID member businesses to find out what they see as priorities for the BID if it is voted in for a second term next Spring. The consultation will last approximately 4 months.
Ilkley BID was formed in June 2019 following a ballot of all businesses in the town centre who would be required to pay a compulsory levy if the BID was approved. The vote received overwhelming support with over 84% of respondents voting in favour; more than 80% of those who voted were independent businesses.
Since then, Ilkley BID has delivered a wide range of projects aimed at supporting businesses, promotion of the town and keeping Ilkley a clean and attractive place for the benefit of locals and visitors.
Under current law, BIDs can only run for 5 years before having to re-test the strength of support by running a new ballot.
Helen Rhodes, BID Manager, told Rombalds Radio “We are undertaking consultation with businesses in a variety of ways with the aim of reaching everyone involved. The first phase of this is a survey which can be completed online, or a paper version can be downloaded from the website or we’re happy to hand deliver a copy. This will be backed up by a series of information sheets which local company Westbrook Agency are working on with us, and these will be available in printed and digital formats. For those who prefer face-to-face discussions, we are holding at least 3 informal drop-in sessions, one at lunchtime, one at 8am and one after 5pm so we hope everyone can get along to a session. For those who might find that difficult, I am more than happy to arrange a visit to business premises to chat through the options for our second Business Plan.”
The outcome of the consultation will form the basis for a new 5-year Business Plan which businesses will be asked to vote on between 22nd February and 21st March 2024. For the BID to continue operating beyond May 2024, there needs to be a majority of businesses in favour, measured both by the number of votes and also by the rateable value of the voters.
Ian White, BID Chairman, added “We are confident that the majority of businesses appreciate the work we have done since 2019. Our marketing activity through our brand ‘Discover Ilkley’ is having some really good results and those businesses who take advantage of what this can offer are really pleased with the outcomes. We’ve done free training, offered cost reduction schemes, arranged events, extended the areas covered by Christmas lights and hot washed the paved areas twice, plus lots more. Everything we do is based on the priorities businesses identified back in early 2019 and it will be interesting to see whether opinion has changed about what is important to the local economy from the results of our consultation.”
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