BID scheme has been voted in for a second term
The town’s Business Development District (BID) scheme has been voted in for a second term.
Tavistock’s BID supports and promotes the town’s vibrant trading community and will continue for the next five years. The partnership between the Tavistock BID and the local business community will continue to develop initiatives and services which will benefit the trading environment within the area, delivering projects and developing an overarching business plan for the town.
The BID was first formed in 2011 with an aim to enable the implementation of a multiyear programme to improve trading conditions within the area through the payment of a small levy by all businesses.
Last week, 54% of businesses voted to keep Tavistock BID. To make sure that the interests of both large and small businesses were considered, there needed to be a majority of those entitled to vote. Secondly, those voting in favour must have represented a majority (by rateable value) of the properties eligible to vote. Both of these conditions were met, and a majority of the business ratepayers in the proposed BID area who voted, voted in favour of the proposal, both by rateable value and numbers voting.
Lisa Piper, BID Manager, said: "We are pleased with the result that we can continue to deliver existing projects and now start work on the new business plan. We are aware though that a number of businesses voted no and we need to ensure we engage more with all types of businesses within the area and improve communicating to the business community of what we are doing.”
Cllr Robert Oxborough, Lead Member for Economy, added: “On balance, the bid has demonstrated its positive value to the town centre, however, it is clear from the narrow vote and from what we have heard from a number of traders in Tavistock, that the BID needs to focus on measures to encourage people into the town and shops on a more regular basis and I hope that it works to achieve this.”