Plea to be objective over BID
CAMPAIGNERS are calling on traders to look "objectively" at the planned Spalding BID, ahead of a council survey.
Town centre businesses will be asked to tell South Holland District Council if they are for or against the BID (Business Improvement District) – and it will cast its 14 votes in favour of the majority.
If voted the BID will form a limited company to deliver a business plan for the town, part funded by a levy based on firms' rateable value.
Traders were sceptical about some elements in the Pre-BID group's draft plan, particularly the introduction of a street ranger.
Council leader Coun Gary Porter said councillors will ask businesses for their opinions and conduct a survey on the council's website.
He said: "We are not going to make the case one way or the other – we don't want to try and persuade traders, it is entirely up to them."
The pre-BID group is also issuing a new questionnaire to help develop a final plan, to be voted on later in the year.
It says the experiences of BIDs which have failed, highlighted in the Spalding Guardian and at a passionate debate at Broad Street Business Centre, do not show the full picture.
Pre-BID board chairman Phil Scarlett said: "I hope that Spalding traders will look objectively at all of the information that they are provided with.
"It easy to sit on the sidelines and just look for the negatives while disregarding the 80-plus highly successful BIDs. We need to be positive and look forward and create a better shopping environment in Spalding."
The group says examples of successful BIDs include a second one in Coventry, covering the city centre, which has helped reduce violent crime and shoplifting and helped establish a regular market.
It says Rugby's has helped dramatically reduced shop theft, down 54 per cent in 2007/08, and graffiti and that 85 per cent of levy payers there are happy with BID while Lincoln's BID manages to draw in more than 3 for every 1 collected through its levy.
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Weather for Spalding
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Heavy snow
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
