Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of City Development setting out the next steps for consideration by the Council following completion of a detailed feasibility study on the potential for a Leeds City Centre Business Improvement District (BID). The report sets out the recommendations from the study for consideration and seeks in principle support for a Leeds City Centre BID, subject to a full proposal coming forward by the private sector steering group.

Further to Minute No. 75, 4^th September 2013, the Director of City Development submitted a report setting out the next steps for consideration by the Council following the completion of a detailed feasibility study regarding the potential establishment of a Leeds City Centre Business Improvement District (BID). In addition, the report presented the recommendations from the study and sought in principle support for a Leeds City Centre BID, subject to a full proposal being submitted by the private sector steering group.

Members welcomed the principle of a Leeds City Centre BID, and highlighted the vital importance of a vibrant and attractive city centre with a balanced offer of retail and leisure facilities.

Having placed emphasis upon the need to ensure that any BID threshold established did not discriminate against smaller businesses, the Board noted that the BID proposals recommended that occupiers of small premises with a rateable value below a threshold yet to be determined were exempted from a potential BID levy.    

Responding to a Member’s enquiry regarding those companies who may have a portfolio of several premises within a BID boundary, and whether the premises of such organisations could be aggregated for the purposes of any BID levy established, officers undertook to look further into this matter and report back to the Board accordingly.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the principle of a Leeds City Centre BID, with the aim of improving and promoting Leeds City Centre as a leading European business location, be supported.

(b)  That agreement be given to consider the Council’s support for the final bid boundary following the next phase of consultation.

(c)  That the principle of occupiers of small business units (below a certain rateable value yet to be determined) being exempted from paying additional rates be supported.

(d)  That in principle support be given for the Council to be a levy payer, subject to it being satisfied with the proposed BID boundary, business plan and levy rate.

(e)  That agreement be given to the continued partnership with the private sector in the development of a Leeds City Centre BID by approving joint funding of the next phase of work to consult further, develop a proposed BID business plan, run a campaign to encourage occupiers to vote for a BID, and hold a bid ballot in November 2014.

(f)  That approval be given to provide up to £150,000 of funding, recoverable from the BID in the event there is a ‘YES’ vote, to the Chamber of Commerce for the next phase of work up to the BID ballot, which is on the understanding that there will also be significant private sector contribution (if a BID is established, this funding will be repaid to the Council by the BID in its first year).

(g)  That the Chief Economic Development Officer be instructed to submit a further report to a future meeting of Executive Board (likely to be September 2014) in order to seek approval on the proposed BID business plan, and to progress to a BID ballot.

(h)  That the following be noted:-

  i.  The stages required to implement the decision, as outlined within section 4 of the submitted report;

  ii.  The proposed timescales for implementation, as outlined within section 4 of the submitted report; and

  iii.  That the Chief Economic Development Officer will be responsible for the implementation of the resolutions, as detailed above.

(During the consideration of this item, Councillor Wakefield and the Chief Executive brought the Board’s attention to their respective memberships of the Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce)