Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of City Development which presents the finalised 2025-2030 Business Plan from Leeds Business Improvement District (LeedsBID), which sets out the themes and work streams that LeedsBID will focus on in its next term 2025-2030 and provides a basis for the recommendation to Executive Board for a positive vote in support of LeedsBID.

Further to Minute No. 14, 19 June 2024, the Director of City Development submitted a report presenting the finalised 2025-2030 Business Plan from Leeds Business Improvement District (LeedsBID) and which set out the themes and work streams that LeedsBID would focus upon in its next term of 2025-2030. The report also provided information about the Council’s financial contribution as a BID levy payer.

The Executive Member introduced the report, highlighting that LeedsBID would cover an expanded geographical area for the forthcoming term and recommending that the Council vote in favour of LeedsBID for a third term (2025-2030) based upon the submitted business plan.

Members welcomed the proposals within the submitted report.

With regard to the expanded geographical area, a Member highlighted the importance of ensuring that effective communication was established with those businesses which would now be included within the LeedsBID area.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the LeedsBID business plan (2025-2030), as appended to the submitted report, which sets out the organisation’s plan of delivery in its third term, be noted;

(b)  That approval be given for Leeds City Council as a LeedsBID levy payer, to vote in favour of LeedsBID for a third term (2025-2030), based upon the appended business plan, thereby enabling the opportunity for significant investment of circa £18.75m in Leeds city centre through the activities of LeedsBID;

(c)  That the resource implications for the Council arising from a successful BID ballot, as detailed within the submitted report, be noted;

(d)  That the responsibility of the vote be delegated to the Interim Director of City Development;

(e)  That the Director of City Development (and/or the Director of Communities, Housing and Environment (or a delegate of)) be requested to meet with LeedsBID on a quarterly basis to advocate that the needs and asks of Leeds City Council and those of the communities that the Council represents are met;

(f)  That the Interim Director of City Development be requested to write to LeedsBID to ask that they work with the Council in order to consider destination marketing branding that applies to Leeds city centre as a place, to ensure that visitor experience is optimised and that where possible, any unnecessary duplication is removed;

(g)  That the Interim Director of City Development be requested to write to LeedsBID to ask that a copy of its Forward Plan is provided in December annually to allow Leeds City Council time to consider any resource implications and provide advice to LeedsBID accordingly.