A step-by-step guide to building a Business
Improvement District.
BIDology -
Primera's 20 point plan - How to develop your successful BID
1. Establish the need
1. Establish the need
Make sure there’s a demonstrable need for a BID, as opposed to any other form of partnership initiative, and that this need has been measured.
2 years before ballot
2. Secure private-sector interest
2. Secure private-sector interest
Identify a strong private-sector interest in a BID and ensure members are mobilised into action.
2 years before ballot
3. Identify or create an inclusive partnership
3. Identify or create an inclusive partnership
Make sure that a well-established inclusive partnership in place, including private sector, local authority and other key stakeholders relevant to the local area.
18 months to 2 years before ballot
4. Ensure BID viability
4. Ensure BID viability
Establish a basic awareness of BIDs in the partnership and test the water to ascertain whether a levy is feasible.
Up to 18 months before ballot
5. Undertake a visioning exercise
5. Undertake a visioning exercise
Bring stakeholders together for a roundtable brainstorming session about the issues and to develop indicative BID Business Plan objectives.
Up to 18 months before ballot
6. Evaluate your development resources
6. Evaluate your development resources
Establish broad budgets, put your staff team in place and confirm the BID concept as a board priority.
Up to 18 months before ballot
7. Incorporate your partnership into a legal entity, if necessary
7. Incorporate your partnership into a legal entity, if necessary
Debate and agree whether the BID is going to incorporate in its own right or operate within a wider organisation. If the board agrees to incorporate, it needs to achieve a board resolution to establish a Company.
Up to 18 months before ballot
8. Evaluate your demonstration projects
8. Evaluate your demonstration projects
Ensure that a range of tangible projects been delivered to demonstrate credibility and reputation for the partnership.
Up to 18 months before ballot
9. Undertake perception analysis
9. Undertake perception analysis
Engage stakeholders and undertake consultation projects to ensure continued interest in the concept of a BID.
Up to one year before ballot
10. Build a business database
10. Build a business database
Ensure that a comprehensive database of your potential business constituency been produced and devise a communications strategy that is appropriate to the area.
Up to one year before ballot
11. Create your BID model
11. Create your BID model
Make sure the partnership has formalised its BID boundaries and levy rules.
Up to one year before ballot
12. Perform a regulations check
12. Perform a regulations check
The legalities of BIDs are governed by the Business Improvement District Regulations (England) 2004 – make sure the partnership has familiarised itself with the full extent of the Regulations.
7 to 10 months before ballot
13. Establish local authority liaison
13. Establish local authority liaison
The local authority plays a pivotal role, so be sure to engage support from all relevant departments.
10 to 18 months before ballot
14. Produce a draft BID Proposal
14. Produce a draft BID Proposal
This is a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the final BID proposal and should take the form of a consultation document aimed at ensuring ownership by the local business community.
5–7 months before ballot
15. Pass the critical ‘go ahead’ point
15. Pass the critical ‘go ahead’ point
Use a ‘Go Ahead checklist’ to ensure that most of the business community are supporting the concept.
5–7 months before ballot
16. Produce the final BID Proposal
16. Produce the final BID Proposal
Create a business-friendly and jargon-free final proposal that satisfies all of the requirements within the Regulations.
3–6 months before ballot
17. Obtain formal approval
17. Obtain formal approval
Ensure that the local authority formally approves the BID proposal in preparation for running
3–6 months before ballot
18. Organise the BID campaign
18. Organise the BID campaign
Produce a communications strategy and consider all the resource implications of the BID campaign.
3–4 months before ballot
19. Prepare and hold the ballot
19. Prepare and hold the ballot
Ensure that the partnership has familiarised itself with all of the formal ballot procedures and produced a ballot monitoring process.
One month before, and during, ballot
20. Manage post-ballot activity
20. Manage post-ballot activity
There is no opportunity to relax after the ballot – the hard work has only just begun, but the rewards are well worth the effort!
Post ballot