The Cabinet of Melton Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 27 October 2026 to consider its response to the Melton Business Improvement District (BID) ballot. The meeting will focus on the council's voting intentions and the potential finalisation of an operating agreement for the BID.

Council Response to BID Ballot

A significant item on the agenda is the council's response to the Melton Business Improvement District (BID) ballot. The report pack indicates that the Cabinet will be updated on the progress of the BID ballot coordination. A key decision to be considered is the council's voting preference for the ballot. If the ballot is successful, the Cabinet will also be asked to consent to finalising and entering into a BID operating agreement for the term 2026-2031.

The Melton Town Business Improvement District (BID) is funded by levy payers and serves a five-year term before a renewal ballot is held. The current term is due to end in October 2026. The council has a statutory responsibility to coordinate and run this balloting process.

The report outlines three key roles for the council in this process: as the accountable body for the balloting process, as a levy payer and voter, and as the authority responsible for collecting and enforcing the BID levy.

The council is itself a levy payer and is entitled to 24 votes based on the number of hereditaments it owns within the BID levy area. The report recommends that the council votes in favour of the BID ballot, citing the significant uplift in the impact of the BID during the last BID term, supporting and hosting a range of successful events with partners as well as supporting strategic works across Leicestershire for a range of topics such as town centre vitality, business rates and tourism campaigns.¹ The report also highlights the strong relationship between Melton Borough Council and the BID, noting successes such as the Christmas event in 2025, the defibrillator project, shop front projects, and shared efforts on tourism campaigns.

If the BID ballot is successful, the council will continue to be responsible for collecting and passing on the levy within the BID area. It is considered best practice for the council to enter into an operating agreement with the BID to govern this arrangement, dictating terms for information provision, payment enforcement, and associated costs. The report notes that the terms of a new operating agreement will be negotiated, subject to the ballot's success, with a focus on strengthened roles, reporting, and governance arrangements.

The report also addresses financial implications, stating that the council is expected to have a levy charge of £11,155.14 per year during the new ballot term. The costs incurred by the council for collecting, processing, enforcing, and transferring the levy will be passed on to the BID via the operating agreement. To prevent future debt, the agreement will require the council's administration costs to be deducted from the levy collected before the balance is paid to the BID.

The legal framework for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) is established under the Local Government Act 2003 and the Business Improvement District (England) Regulations 2004. These regulations allow the council to debit collection costs from BID revenue without the BID's explicit agreement.

The report also considers potential risks, including a significant drop in engagement with town centre businesses if the BID is not successful, and the need to reassess existing projects involving the BID. Mitigation strategies include supporting the BID's ballot process to ensure continuity and working with the BID to identify core projects and alternative delivery bodies if necessary.

The Melton Town Business Improvement District (BID) is a business-led partnership funded by local businesses to deliver additional services. The BID's business plan for 2026-2031 outlines proposed projects across four themes: Marketing, Promotion & Events; Business Support; Improving the Street Scene; and Vision & Strategy. These include initiatives such as a Melton Gift Card, a business directory, continued support for flagship events, a free recycling service for BID businesses, and grants to help businesses improve. The BID levy is calculated as 1.85% of a business's rateable value, with flat fees for businesses with lower rateable values. The BID is projected to raise approximately £230,000 per annum.