Type=image;ImageID=5726;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=Businesses vote 'YES' for a Wolverhampton City Centre BID;TitleClass=strong;
Results announced by Electoral Reform Services on Thursday 13 November showed that 86% of those businesses who voted were in favour of the BID.
The vote gives the go ahead for the Business Improvement District to take forward the Business Plan, drive investment in the City Centre and give local businesses a greater say in the way it is marketed, maintained and managed. The BID will deliver £3 million of investment in the area over the next 5 years and will come into operation early next year.
Nicholas Pitt, Chair of the Wolverhampton BID Task Group and manager of the Mander Centre said: "This is a strong vote of confidence from the businesses who trade here and who clearly see the city's potential for change. The investment from local businesses will be used to improve our area, contribute towards a more successful and profitable future, making the city centre a better place for customers and businesses alike".
Cherry Shine, BID Director added "For the last year businesses have been working incredibly hard to make sure that the BID proposal demonstrated the changes needed to put the city back on track. On behalf of the Wolverhampton BID Task Group, I would like to thank all Wolverhampton City Centre businesses and stakeholders in the city for their support throughout this process and for backing the BID. Our focus now is very clearly on putting all the arrangements in place for the start of the BID company and on delivering the Business Plan proposal, which businesses have helped design."
The confidential, postal BID Ballot was run for 28 days in October and November, ending on 12 November. Organised by the independent Electoral Reform Services (ERS), the BID ballot papers were sent out to eligible voters in the City Centre BID area.
Detailed figures for the vote were as follows:
- Yes by Number: 86%
- Yes by Rateable Value: 90%
A majority in terms of votes cast and rateable value is legally required for a BID to be voted in.
- released: Friday 14 November, 2014