Green light for Leeds city centre BID ballot

BUSINESSES in Leeds city centre are to be balloted in the new year over plans to create a new body to help improve and promote the area.

Leeds City Council has backed the latest proposals to create a Business Improvement District (BID) in the city centre.

The new body named BID4Leeds would be a private sector-led partnership of city centre businesses and landowners through Leeds Chamber of Commerce, supported by public sector organisations including Leeds City Council.

Its aims would be to improve and promote the city centre as a successful business location, a source of job creation, a place to study and as a leading retail, leisure, cultural and visitor destination.

The new body would be funded from a levy paid by all businesses and land occupiers in the identified district, raising up to £2m annually for an initial five-year period. The levy would be set at 1.25% of rateable value, with an exemption for premises with a rateable value of below £60,000.

The council’s executive board endorsed the BID’s business plan and also approved an agreement on services in the city centre it would continue to provide if the BID is successful.

The next stage of the BID process is to carry out a ballot of all businesses and landowners in the city centre on the proposals, which is planned to take place in February.

If a majority of the potential levy payers support the proposals the BID could start in April.

Leeds City Council executive member for transport and the economy, Coun Richard Lewis, said: “The feedback we have received so far from all stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive. By combining resources, knowledge and skills, private and public sectors can come together to make Leeds city centre stronger, be more attractive and welcoming and offer benefits across a range of industries.

“Business Improvements Districts have proven very successful elsewhere and I’m sure Leeds would be the same so we look forward to now seeing the result of the ballot in the new year.”

John Bywater, chairman of BID4Leeds, added: ‘I see the BID as an important step for Leeds city centre to create coordinated leadership and to secure investment. It is an exciting time for Leeds and it is fantastic to have support from Leeds City Council for our proposed business plan, which will be issued to potential BID businesses in the near future. This business plan, if voted for in February, will help create even greater collaboration between the public and private sector in Leeds and a stronger future for our city.”