Issue - meetings

In Exeter Business Plan 2020-2025 - Ballot Arrangements

Meeting: 09/07/2019 - Executive (Item 65)

65 In Exeter Business Plan 2020-2025 pdf icon PDF 90 KB

To consider the report of the Growth & Commercialisation Manager

 

Place Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 25 June 2019 and its comments will be reported. (The appendices were previously circulated to the Scrutiny Committee on the above date).

 

Decision:

Agreed

RECOMMENDED that:-

 

(1)  The City Council votes in favour of continuing the InExeter Improvement District (BID) for a second term, covering the period 2020-2025.

(2)  The City Council casts its votes in favour of continuing the BID in the forthcoming ballot in October 2019.

 

(3)   Council approve a budget of £5,000 to undertake the ballot to be funded from General Fund reserves.

 

(4)   The Portfolio Holder for Environment & City Management is appointed to sit on the InExeter Board, with the support of the Grow th & Commercialisation Manager, to oversee the interests of the City Council and wider city centre through activity undertaken by InExeter.

 

(5)   The BID boundary is extended to include businesses located on Magdalen Road, at the request of the businesses association and businesses located on Magdalen Road.

 

(6)   The City Council charge a true cost of supporting InExeter in collecting the BID levy, calculated at £12,000 + VAT per annum, from £1,500 + VAT per year.

 

(7)   The Growth & Commercialisation Manager draws up contingency plans, to be implemented as a result of a no vote in October 2019.

 

Reason for Decision:

As set out in the report.

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Executive considered a report, which had already been presented to Place Scrutiny Committee on 25 June 2019 and set out the process and proposals for a second term of InExeter Business Improvement District (BID), as well as a five year business plan.  Members’ attention was drawn to the detailed minutes of Place Scrutiny which had been circulated.

 

Particular reference was made to:-

 

-       The extension of the BID area (at the request of businesses in the proposed extended areas);

-       The additional cost to the City Council as a consequence of the extension to the BID area;

-       The increase in the BID levy to 1.25% (from 1%);

-       The intention to charge the true cost of collecting the BID levy; and

-       The important role that the BID had in focussing support for businesses in the City Centre.

 

RECOMMENDED that:-

 

(1)          The City Council votes in favour of continuing the InExeter Improvement District (BID) for a second term, covering the period 2020-2025;

 

(2)          The City Council casts its votes in favour of continuing the BID in the forthcoming ballot in October 2019;

 

(3)          Council approve a budget of £5,000 to undertake the ballot to be funded from General Fund reserves;

 

(4)          The Portfolio Holder for Environment & City Management be appointed to sit on the InExeter Board, with the support of the Growth & Commercialisation Manager, to oversee the interests of the City Council and wider city centre, through activity undertaken by InExeter;

 

(5)          The BID boundary be extended to include businesses located on Magdalen Road, at the request of the businesses association and businesses located on Magdalen Road;

 

(6)          The City Council charge a true cost of supporting InExeter in collecting the BID levy, calculated at £12,000 + VAT per annum (from £1,500 + VAT per year); and

 

(7)          The Growth & Commercialisation Manager draw up contingency plans, to be implemented in the result of a no vote in October 2019.