Better Bankside renewal ballot result and key messages from their renewal campaign
InHolborn BID renewal ballot result and key messages from their campaign
Multiple voters latest position on BIDs
Paddington BID (June Alteration Ballot)
Team London Bridge Poll Idea!
London Training and Resource Centre
London Brokerage and Business Link
London Manufacturing Advisory Service
Better Bankside renewal ballot result and Key messages from their renewal campaign
Better Bankside BID was successfully renewed.The result was 86% in favour by number of businesses and 82% in favour by rateable value, with the turnout at 52%. Louise Abbotts recently spoke to the Network of London BIDs about the lessons learned in their renewal campaign:
• They consulted extensively on the business case for extending their area, from c. 360 to 568 hereditaments. This showed that in one particular zone businesses were neutral or negative about the BID, so the extension was smaller than initially conceived.
• Again, 1:1 meetings were time-consuming yet essential.
• Better Bankside used an account management system, splitting their constituents up between the whole Bankside team, with the core campaign team focussed on those businesses who were not already familiar with the BID. They had weekly campaign meetings throughout the 16-month period of the renewal effort.
• Their database was crucial. However it was sometimes difficult to ensure that it corresponded to the boards in the office - the most up-to-date record of business contacts and their voting status.
• The Council struggled to define clearly the boundaries of the BID. Doing GIS mapping at the very beginning would have helped reduce confusion.
• They would recommend spending less time putting the proposal together and more time tailoring the offer to different businesses. Case studies of a typical small, medium, and large business – with levy payable and value received – would have been a great thing to have done.
• Environmental branding had previously been a missed opportunity. For example, 150 hanging baskets were branded during the campaign.
• Better Bankside lowered its levy from 2.27% - 1.4%. Many levy payers saw their levy halved. This was very much appreciated by businesses and made the ‘sale’ easier.
InHolborn BID renewal ballot result and key messages from their campaign
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InHolborn BID was successfully renewed and the result was 86% in favour by number of businesses and 90% in favour by rateable value, with the turnout at 46%.
Tass Mavrogordato also recently spoke to the Network of London BIDs about the lessons learned in their renewal campaign:
• There was a strong business case for expansion of their BID boundaries, and the number of hereditaments increased from 651 to 697.
• The consultation exercise was very extensive. By the time they started presenting their plans to businesses, they were very confident that their proposal was the best possible, and this was reinforced in the response they received when they had 1:1 presentations.
• Tass had 1:1 meetings with 400 businesses. She stressed that the resource this involves should not be underestimated: getting through the gatekeepers to see chief execs of large office-based companies may take several forceful phone calls.
• Their bespoke database is now gold dust. The intelligence they gathered during the campaign will be invaluable in service delivery.
• Major retailers were amazingly thorough in their assessment of the proposals. It sometimes felt like a job interview!
• They reduced their levy from 1% to .9% to compensate for changeover to the 2010 Ratings list. The Board felt it was the right decision to make given that they are part of the business community and wanted to show some action regarding rising costs. In terms of selling the BID it made no difference as £900 or £1000 (for example) is virtually the same ‘ask’ in terms of making a financial commitment to an initiative (expansion area) and given the rise in business rates and BRS the commitment is significantly different for businesses in the existing area.
• What you HAVE done is more important than what you are saying you WILL do. Clear statement of the value provided to levy payers in exchange for their levy is the bottom line for most businesses.
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Multiple voters latest position on BIDs
Concerns about the difficult economic climate and increasing occupancy costs has had much discussion over recent months. So we felt it would be valuable to review the multiple voters’ position on BIDs and report any changes. We had responses from the following: BRC; IBRF; Boots; Sainsburys; and Yorkshire Building Society.
We asked three key questions as follows:
1 - Has your overall attitude to and view of BIDs changed in the last 12 months? If so, how?
In the main, we have seen a continued support from the multiples with their overall attitude unchanged. However we have some qualification to that support and in particular recognition that it must be the right type of BID for the location. Specific concerns were raised from IBRF, focusing on the challenges to occupational costs in general of which BIDs is becoming increasingly significant when individual contributions are aggregated. They also noted the introduction of Crossrail supplement directly impacting on London but noted that this is also influencing the wider perspective of total commitments on their ratings budgets. -
2 – Has your policy on any aspect of BIDs changed in the last 12 months? If so, how?
A variety of issues were raised here. Concerns were raised that the quality of BID proposals being presented to businesses have become increasingly varied, as a consequence the BRC and IBRF are developing increasingly strict policies in response to increasing BID levy rates. With costs being a major issue, businesses are increasingly needing to see tangible value against baseline services and are considering even more closely whether the extent to which a BID is delivering value for money.
3 – What are the main things that you now look for in a renewal proposal?
A wide variety of aspects were raised under this question, which are summarised below. Meanwhile, the BRC and IBRF are currently working with British BIDs to set out the key ‘deal breakers’ with respect to BID and renewal proposals.
• Quality of the Business Plan, cost and the ability of management team to deliver
• Details of the successes and added value created by the BID
• No overlaps with services which the local authority is already delivering
• Objective measurements of performance against previously indicated intentions
• Ensure that BID projects & services remain relevant – to stakeholder concerns & aspirations – throughout the lifetime of the BID, it needs to be flexible as some changes maybe needed over a 5 year period.
• Demonstrate accountability to stakeholders & maintain consistent, effective two way communication
• Negotiate hard to extract maximum value for improved service delivery – and leveraged funding – from public sector agencies
• Manage your budgets well, there’s nothing more confidence destroying than financial ineptitude.
• Projects and processes don’t deliver on their own, like everything its all about the people.
By way of a reminder, British BIDs works closely with both the BRC and IBRF to ensure criteria for BIDs are well considered and articulated. Additionally, British BIDs provides a detailed voter contacts database for its members, currently holding data on just under 400 voters.
www.britishbids.info
Paddington BID (June Alteration Ballot)
Recognising the high rises in business rateable values in the area and the impact of the recession, Paddington BID Board voted unanimously to make a fundamental change to its formal levy rules, to bring down its charge. Paddington BID are to apply a 10% discount to bills in 2010/2011 and in order to apply this discount, businesses will be asked to vote on this by way of an ‘Alteration Ballot’ in June 2010.
Kay Buxton, Chief Executive of Paddington BID, said:
“Paddington BID needs to represent the interests of its businesses and the 10% discount generates a combined saving of between £80,000 and £90,000 to local businesses, no other changes to the BID’s operation, projects and services are proposed”.
Team London Bridge Web Poll Idea!
As part of their campaign building up to their re-ballot in October this year, Team London Bridge is targeting national business media to raise the profile of BIDs and help put our work into a wider context. One possible strategy is the use of web-based polls across as many BID areas as possible, pulling together data from thousands of businesses across the country to use in topical news pieces. If you would like more details please email Don Campbell
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London Brokerage and Business Link
Working in partnership with Business Link to deliver Train to Gain, London Brokerage Limited offers you:
• A free skills gaps analysis
• Matching your training needs with training providers
• Sourcing available funding for your organisation through the government’s Train to Gain initiative
• Sourcing other relevant training
•A referrals service to other organisations that can help
For further details
contact Business Link on 0845 6300 204 or email
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or visit
www.londonbrokerageltd.com
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London Training and Resource Centre
Collaborate & help offers local practitioners the opportunity to share best practice and local project information, and helps different schemes to work collaboratively together and is a simple to use information, contact and messaging website linking service providers and residents.
This localised website puts residents in contact with the wardens & environmental officers in their area and residents can find out about local projects and the people who provide services in their area, and make requests directly to them.
Collaborate membership is free, and there is a now a forum, with a group called BIDS (which only BIDs can see and make use of) and a dedicated bulletin board for BIDS professionals called (The BIDS Wall) if BIDs would like more detail on this visit www.londontrc.org.uk or contact Allen Therisa on 020 7928 5897
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London Manufacturing Advisory Service
The London Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) provides London's SME manufacturers with practical, hands-on manufacturing support to improve productivity and achieve success.
Funded by the London Development Agency and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), MAS London is designed to help all London SME manufacturers:
• streamline processes
• reduce waste
• become more energy efficient
• generally improve businesses where it is needed most
Our experienced and highly skilled practitioners all have 'hands-on' experience of both shop floor working and management skills working.
MAS London also offers a comprehensive events programme covering a variety of business issues, from strategy and branding to new product development and lean manufacturing. Attendance is free and you will also have the opportunity to network with some of London's leading manufacturing companies.
Forthcoming Events Programme
Strategy…what if you're right?
Helps business leaders develop their thinking on what they want for their business and how to get it.
18th March 2010
Profit from Carbon Footprinting and the environmental agenda
This workshop provides a unique opportunity to review the environmental impact of your services, products, operations and packaging.
23rd March 2010
To find out more about MAS London and to register for upcoming events, please visit www.mas.bis.gov.uk/london/events
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