Purpose

The Business Improvement District (BID) operating on Globe Business Park in Marlow comes to an end on the 31 December 2024. The BID has served an 84 Day Notice of its intent to instruct the billing authority (Buckinghamshire Council) to put the new BID proposal to ballot to enable a third five-year term from 1 January 2025. Legislation requires that the Council put ballot arrangements in place and, on receipt of a successful ballot outcome, plan for the billing and collection of a levy payment. The Council is also required to work with the BID proposers to develop baseline service and operating agreements to ensure that activity carried out by the BID is additional to that provided by the local authority and that reasonable charges for levy billing and collection are agreed. As a property owner on Globe Business Park, the Council will receive a ballot paper to vote for each unit vacant at the time of ballot.

Decision

Recommendations:               

1. 1.      To note that the Buckinghamshire Council has received a notice of intent to ballot from Globe Business Park BID (Marlow).
2. 2.      To note that arrangements are put in place for a postal ballot and for the Returning Officer with the support of the Economic Development Manager, to appoint Civica to undertake this.
3. 3.      The Corporate Director for Planning, Growth and Sustainability, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, be given delegated authority to vote ‘yes’ in the Globe Business Park BID ballot subject to ballot offers being satisfactory, and
4. 4.      Subject to a yes vote, that the Corporate Director for Planning, Growth and Sustainability, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Members and service areas, be authorised to agree the detailed baseline service level agreements in line with the business plan submitted and any operational decisions required to enable the BID to commence from 1 January 2025.