Rediscover Peterhead Business Improvement District unsuccessful in achieving second 5-year term
Rediscover Peterhead Business Improvement District (BID) has been unsuccessful in its efforts to serve for a consecutive five-year term.
Following recent voting among BID levy payers, the ballot closed at 5pm on Thursday, September 29 with 127 votes cast in the ballot as follows (full breakdown below):
YES – in favour of the Business Improvement District proposals for the areas within Peterhead as specified on the Ballot Paper – 49
NO – not in favour of the Business Improvement District proposals for the areas within Peterhead as specified on the Ballot Paper – 78
The rateable values of the relevant properties in respect of which these votes were cast were as follows:
Aggregate of the rateable values of the relevant properties in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted for the BID proposals (A) - £1,027,350
Aggregate of the rateable values of the relevant properties in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted against the BID proposals (B) - £1,166,300
Since 2014, Aberdeenshire Council has formally supported BIDs - business-led initiatives for those firms where an annual levy is charged to all commercial buildings falling within a defined area of a town if a yes ballot is successful.
This levy enables projects and statutory services above those that Aberdeenshire Council, Police Scotland, VisitAberdeenshire and Bear Scotland offer as their baseline services.
Following consultation with the businesses, a BID Proposal and Business Plan is drawn up which forms the BID company’s five-year plan for the delivery of these additional projects and services.
Although BIDs are business-led, a legal partnership has been in operation between the council and the BID companies since 2017.
Full ballot breakdown
YES – in favour of the Business Improvement District proposals for the areas within Peterhead as specified on the Ballot Paper – 49
NO – not in favour of the Business Improvement District proposals for the areas within Peterhead as specified on the Ballot Paper – 78
The rateable values of the relevant properties in respect of which these votes were cast were as follows:
Aggregate of the rateable values of the relevant properties in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted for the BID proposals (A) - £1,027,350
Aggregate of the rateable values of the relevant properties in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted against the BID proposals (B) - £116,6300
The total number of eligible business premises (total number of ballot papers) of
which a person is entitled to vote in the ballot was 228
The aggregate of the rateable values of relevant properties in respect of which a
person is entitled to vote in the ballot was £3,796,500
The aggregate property rateable value in respect of which a person, excluding
rejected ballot papers voted was £2,193,650
The return rate (turnout) in respect of those eligible to vote was 52%
The return rate (turnout) in respect of rateable values was 57.78%
On that basis:
The aggregate of the rateable values of the relevant properties in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted for the BID proposals (A) plus the aggregate of the rateable values of the relevant properties in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted against the BID proposals (B) is equal to at least 25% of the aggregate of the rateable values of all relevant properties in respect of which a person is entitled to vote in the ballot.
As these four conditions have been met, on the basis of a ballot held for the purposes of section 38(1) of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006, the BID proposals for the areas of Rediscover Peterhead listed on the Ballot Paper has not been approved.
Full details of the BID process can be found here: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/business/support-and-advice/communities/town-centres/business-improvement-districts/