SUMMARY PROPOSAL FOR THE BANGOR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT VOTE YES IN FAVOUR OF THE CITY S FUTURE.

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1 SUMMARY PROPOSAL FOR THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT VOTE YES IN FAVOUR OF THE CITY S FUTURE

2 Vote YES for a Business Improvement District for Bangor It s a pleasure for me to present this summary of the proposed Business Improvement District for Bangor. With this summary, you ll see details of the themes, investment and activities that the new Business Improvement District or BID proposes to implement. For more information or the full proposal, please feel free to contact the BID project on the details below. Bangor is a unique city for many reasons. It proudly possesses a diverse range of shops, culture, heritage and rich history as well as being strongly bilingual. However, more can be made to take full advantage of what Bangor has to offer to local residents and visitors. The proposed Business Improvement District will bring together Bangor s business community to work together and invest to take advantage of those strengths to improve the city s economic prospects. A Business Improvement District is a not for profit organisation led and funded by the business community. If established, it will work to deliver new and additional improvements and activities within Bangor which will seek to improve the prosperity and the profile of the city. Vote YES to improve and invest in Bangor s future, vote YES for the Business Improvement District. The proposed Business Improvement District will funded by all businesses through a levy of 1.5% raised against the rateable value of their business unit. Having consulted with the business community, the Business Improvement District proposal has been developed to deliver on the following themes Clean and Green, Smart and Safe ensure the city is Proudly Promoted and represent the business community by being Influential and Integrated. You can learn more about the activities within the themes in this document. If established, the Business Improvement District will be led by a board made up of elected members of the business community, representative of businesses within Bangor, along with representatives from the third and public sectors. You have the opportunity to cast your vote on the Bangor Business Improvement District (BID) proposal. Of those who vote, a majority in number of businesses and aggregate rateable value must vote in favour to reach a positive result. If the result is positive, a Business Improvement District will be established and will launch on April 1st This is a unique opportunity for us as a business community to lead on investment and additional improvements which will make a real difference to Bangor and its future. Haydn Davies Bangor BID Chairperson A BID FOR In November and December 2014 we consulted with 82 businesses in Bangor Types of business responding to the open consultation 49% Part of a wider 2% No group What are the main reasons for establishing a BID in Bangor? Bangor is crying out for something to be done about the High Street Coming to Bangor needs to be a pleasurable experience We re looking for something innovative, we re happy to pilot new initiatives 49% 2% Independent Independently owned franchise We see the High Street developments in Bangor as just half a job and want to see more Improving trading environments through co-ordinated and collective investment There is no free-loading everyone benefits and everyone contributes Do you think a Business Improvement District (BID) for Bangor is a good idea in principle and should be tested in a ballot? YES NOT SURE BIGGEST ISSUES Parking Footfall Marketing and promotion Cleanliness of public areas Community engagement Business networking 77% 21% IMPROVEMENTS Cheaper / flexible parking Fill empty shops Improve shop fronts Increase promotional activity Host high-profile calendar events Improve signage Increase public seating areas Yes Not Sure

3 BID ACTIVITIES Vote YES and the Business Improvement District will work on these themes:- Key issues and priorities voiced by businesses during consultation included: Reducing the price of parking Improving the look of the city centre Therefore the BID s vision for Bangor as a place for visiting, working, living and enjoying, is for the city to be: Increasing footfall through events and promotion 1. Clean & Green, Smart & Safe Projected BID investment over 5 years: 212,500 Enhancing Bangor s image by making it a more attractive and welcoming city by managing its cleanliness, and the general ambience. A rapid response street team will ensure Bangor is significantly cleaner Flowers and greenery will bring colour to the streets This will open up the High Street to complement other significant attractions. By partnering with the University, the police and the Bangor and District PubWatch Scheme, the BID will help address anti-social behaviour, littering and nuisances in the day and night. 2. Proudly Promoted Projected BID investment over 5 years: 107,500 The BID will focus on the following activities under the Clean & Green, Smart & Safe theme: New and additional cleaning Additional greening City centre information and landing areas Improving shop fronts Creating a safe environment This is our opportunity to raise the standards and presentation of Bangor as a business, retail, and tourist destination and to increase footfall. Influential and intergrated Clean & Green, Smart & Safe BID Proudly Promoted Once the BID is established members will be able to influence the BID in order to deliver projects that best suit the changing needs of the city centre. The BID will produce a detailed action plan and an annual evaluation of progress towards its targets. The BID will support a key events programme for the city centre. Run in partnership with local community groups and others we will work together to engage residents and visitors, animate the streets and encourage everyone to spend time in the city centre. 3. Influential & Integrated Projected BID investment over 5 years: 168,600 City Centre Liaison The BID will also establish a City Centre Challenge to engage school, college and university students with their city centre, and offer enterprise opportunities through pop-up shops. The BID will sponsor awards, work experience and training opportunities for all ages. Bangor BID will have an active part-time BID manager who will act on behalf of BID members to ensure that it is serving their needs. The responsibilities of the BID Manager will include: Project management Advocate for businesses Liaison with other organisations Generate additional funding The BID will design and implement marketing and promotional activities according to plans tailored to the BID area s various audiences: Visitor Welcome Plan Warm Welcome / Croeso Cynnes BID website and local business directory I Love Bangor / Rwy n Caru Bangor Growing Business The BID will deliver the following activities to help grow and support businesses in Bangor. Helping existing businesses grow and improve, networking and signposting New businesses and start-up mentoring scheme Collective purchasing, helping businesses get better deals Awards programme and celebration events

4 YOUR YOUR CONTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTION THE LEVY Bangor BID will be financed through an additional, annual levy of 1.5% of the rateable value of the business. The levy will apply to all business rates payers with a rateable value of over 2,000. Through its levy Bangor BID would generate an income of 127,000, or 635,000 over the five-year term of the BID to invest in projects and services to benefit businesses. This will help to leverage in additional funds from other sources including: securing grant funding and sponsorship, voluntary contributions from businesses outside the boundary and landlords. Businesses with a rateable value below 2,000 may contribute voluntarily in order to be included as a voluntary member of the BID. Business Rates 2015/16 Rateable Value Maximum Annual Levy Maximum Daily Equivalent Cost 2,410 5, p 4,820 10, p 9,640 20, ,100 50, , ,000 Only 10% of businesses will contribute more than 2.50 per day 1, Only 1/3 of businesses will contribute more than 1 per day The levy is an investment In return for your investment businesses will benefit from projects that you would not get without the BID. The BID company will be accountable for all monies received or generated and will be able to report to businesses informing what they are receiving for their investment. How much do you spend annually on advertising? The BID will provide excellent free advertising opportunities. The largest annual levy income for UK BIDs is 2,814,000. There are 7 BIDs with annual incomes of more than 1m. The smallest annual levy income for UK BIDs is 22,400. There are 15 BIDs with annual incomes of less than 100,000. MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT, GOVERNANCE GOVERNANCE & TIMELINE TIMELINE MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE A BID Company will be established as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. All levy payers can be members of the BID Company. It will be run by a board of directors made up of representatives from the private sector, including national and local independent traders. It can also include public and third sector representatives. Board directors will serve voluntarily. Directors will be elected to the Board by members at the Annual General Meetings, to be held from September 2016 onwards. Any levy paying business will be eligible to stand as BID directors. TIMELINE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STAGES TO ESTABLISHING A BID. Here are proposed timescales for the next steps, check the website for more updates. As members, you can control how the BID funds are spent and can hold the BID Company to account. The BID will also employ a manager to ensure projects are delivered effectively and efficiently, to seek additional funding and be the main point of contact for the BID. The levy will be collected by Gwynedd Council on behalf of the BID and will be paid to the BID Company. Receive voting pack Postal ballot opening Last possible posting day before ballot closes Thursday, 27th August Wednesday 23rd September Postal Ballot closes 5pm, Thursday 24th September Results announced Friday, 25th September Establish the BID company BID company goes live & first levy collected BID first Annual General Meeting AGM s Year 2-5 BID renewal ballot before Thursday, 27th August October 2015 March 2016 April 2016 September 2016 September December 2020

5 PROPOSED BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AREA Alternatively, you can contact the BID Champions Contact the project :To see the complete version of the BID proposal, to contact the BID project or to find out further information visit the... BID Website :- or - Haydn Davies Emlyn Williams Susan Ashworth Or by post : BID Bangor Project c/o Bangor City Council Ffordd Gwynedd Bangor, LL57 1DT