Solihull BID renewal ballot underway
Solihull BID (Business Improvement District) is asking more than 450 businesses in the town centre to renew its term for the period 2020-2025 through a postal ballot.
Taking place until 31st October, the ballot result will be announced on 1st November.
A Business Improvement District is a defined area within which local businesses collaborate to invest in projects, services and initiatives to improve the environment in which they work. BIDs deliver additional services to those provided by the Borough Council and the West Midlands Police.
The renewal ballot is a process all BIDs must go through every five years to secure the support of the businesses they represent through a percentage levy on Business Rates.
Solihull BID was created in 2010 to help support a thriving business community around the town centre, including Mell Square, Touchwood and The Core.
Chaired by Kevin Johns of Prime Accountants, the BID board is represented by some of the most influential people in the town centre, covering all sectors and areas of business life.
Solihull BID achievements include funding the Town Hosts and ‘Evening Guardians’ have been recruited by the BID to work alongside bar and restaurant staff in the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights, while a team of BID-funded Enforcement Officers patrol the streets during the day to help tackle anti-social behaviour.
The BID also operates the annual red-carpet Excellence Awards, which shine a light on the talented employees and forward-thinking companies in the town centre, the popular Food and Drink Festival, seasonal fashion events and attractions such as the Lego brick pits, which attracted families from across the borough.
Johns says: “In order to look forward we must consider the path already travelled.
“Over the past nine years, Solihull BID has helped make our town a thriving and attractive location for leisure, shopping and work. Through a multitude of successful initiatives, we have developed a town centre that is buzzing with activity, day and night and, with the help of our Town Hosts, we’ve made sure Solihull is as safe and secure as it is enjoyable.
“Learning from our journey so far, we have created a plan for the next five years that will deliver the positive impact BID members deserve. The BID team and I look forward to working with local businesses to grow our success and capitalise on what is an exciting time for the whole region.”
