Foreword
This Business Plan is the Harrow Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) £1.5 million, five-year programme of investment for Harrow Town Centre to enhance the sustainability and physical presence of the area and the range of services required to ensure that it looks and feels safe, clean and welcoming. It builds on the successes already achieved in maintaining the special appeal of Harrow.
From its inception as a Business Improvement District (BID) in 2014, The Harrow BID has sought to embrace its members and the wider business community behind a shared vision for Harrow Town Centre. Every five years we undertake a mandatory ballot for the BID area, where we ask our members to vote on our proposal for the Town Centre BID.
Our action plan is outlined in this document. We invite you to read it, before casting your vote in the November 2023 ballot, to fully understand how your business and trading environment can benefit from the BID.
LOUISE BAXTER
Harrow Town Centre BID Manager
During the past decade we have developed the BID’s services and offer to best meet our members’ needs; from keeping the area safe and clean, to promoting and marketing the Town Centre as a vibrant hub. The cost of living crisis, weakening of department and chain stores and increased competition from internet shopping have all provided challenges we have worked hard to mitigate. In particular we worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting existing services to be able to offer the best response for the membership and the area as a whole.
Our success was substantiated by our most recent ballot result. In 2019, a ballot of members voted in the BID’s favour by a 99% majority.
Since our establishment in 2014, we have matured in our influence and ability to effect positive change and delivered tangible results. And whilst we are a not-for-profit organisation, we have adopted a commercial approach to our work and relentlessly pursue return on investment for our members.
DARREN HARMAN
Chairman 2019-23
Throughout our lifespan we have invested a total of £3 million of BID levy directly into the area to address the shared priorities of our members. During the past decade the Harrow Town Centre BID has provided a formal mechanism to provide enhanced leverage, investment, sustainability, profile, operational and promotional activity, and scale and budget to the overall management of Harrow Town Centre – benefiting its member businesses and the wider community.
In everything we do, we will continue to be ambitious, embracing the changes taking place whilst protecting the essence of what makes Harrow Town Centre a great place to be. We will continue to develop our work with partners and ensure that our members benefit from both a vibrant and commercially successful destination of choice.
Another ‘YES’ vote in the November of 2023 ballot will allow us to deliver on our 2024–2029 Business Plan. A five-year plan developed in response to our members’ and wider stakeholders’ shared priorities which will help drive Harrow Town Centre towards a renewed and prosperous future.
ADAM DURRANT
Chairman 2024
Diana Plavko
The Bodyshop
About Us
The Harrow Town Centre BID is a Business Improvement District representing c200 businesses in Harrow Town Centre.
Business Improvement Districts are not-for-profit partnerships, in which the local businesses have voted to invest together to improve the environment of their local area. A BID is brought in through a democratic ballot process and the services provided are additional to those delivered by the statutory authorities.
There are c350 BIDs in the UK, and growing, suggesting an increasing benefit to the local business communities where BIDs are operating. The total annual BID levy currently raised across the UK is c£110m which leverages around £175m when including investment raised from local economic partnerships and commercial activity. The typical number of businesses within a BID is 200–400.
The overall success rate for BID ballots since their inception in 2005 is over 95%.
Through partnership and engagement the Harrow BID helps to create and enhance an economically vibrant destination, offering tangible and collective benefits to business and those that work, live and visit Harrow Town Centre. Since 2014 we have invested over £3m of BID levy directly into the area to support the themes and shared priorities of our members. Over that period we have matured in our influence and ability to affect positive change, delivering tangible results and return on investment.
The Past 5 Years
Performance Highlights
COVID-19 Response
Something not anticipated at the outset of our 2019–24 plan was the arrival of COVID. Throughout the pandemic the BID adapted its services to be able to offer the best response for our membership and the area as a whole. Our key focus was safety and security together with member communications. Over time, the focus became recovery with a priority on the reactivation of public space and providing greater confidence for returning businesses.
In partnership with Harrow Council the BID helped facilitate £350,000 support from the Council to fund the BID levy for 12 months during the period of COVID lockdown and initial period of recovery.
Safer and Cleaner
We have explored innovative and effective ways of working to ensure Harrow Town Centre is memorable and inspiring. Our daily safety, security and environmental inspections help make our streets safer, cleaner and more welcoming. We have reviewed how we manage and enjoy public space, what takes place and how it looks and feels – advocating change where necessary.
Promotion and Events
During the past 5 years the Harrow BID has organised a range of activity to both drive footfall and add vibrancy to the Town Centre.
Events have sought to leverage the retail calendar, complement the shopping offer and continually create news, content and reasons to visit. Our keynote event each year being our seasonal lights campaign.
Insight
The BID has brought the membership together through business focused events to provide access to insights and commercial opportunities. Weekly newsletters reporting on footfall, town centre activity and industry insight have assisted businesses decision making and planning.
Our vacancy rate is consistently lower than the national average.
Akin Avci
Hunters Home Store
Town Centre Development
We have provided businesses with an influential voice to stimulate change and where necessary resolve challenges and take advantage of opportunities. We have worked in partnership with and lobbied the Council to help support our business community to grow and flourish in Harrow.
Delivered one hour free parking in Council managed car parks.
College Road, Indicative Scheme
Kiosk Design Development
Why support the Harrow BID?
- £1.5m investment into Harrow Town Centre
- Return on investment
- Safer, cleaner, greener, more vibrant district
- A focus on increasing footfall and dwell time
- A more sustainable Town Centre
- Collective business voice on issues that matter
What happens if the BID is not renewed?
- £1.5m Town Centre Investment
- The BID Team
- Business leadership and advocacy
- Harrow Business Against Crime
- Ambassador Services
- Events and promotional programme
- Christmas Lights
If there is a NO vote we will not have the resource to fund the activities outlined in this plan or indeed those undertaken for the past five years.
A YES vote opens the door for the private and public sector to work together with a meaningful resource that can help maintain a vibrant town centre and make ongoing development happen.
Meeting our members' priorities
The Harrow BID meets regularly with member businesses and seeks constant feedback. This input and the recent business survey has shaped the priorities for our renewal business proposal for 2024–2029.
Businesses in Harrow seek a...
Safe and Secure District
HARROW BUSINESS AGAINST CRIME
STREET WARDEN TEAM
PARTNERSHIP WORKING WITH THE POLICE
A CLEAN DISTRICT
QUALITY PUBLIC SPACE
EVENTS
The BID District
All of the following streets are included in full or in part:
Clarendon Road
College Road
Gayton Road
Greenhill Way
Havelock Place
Headstone Road
Kymberley Road
St Anns Road
St Anns Shopping Centre
St George’s Shopping Centre
St Johns Road
Station Road
William Carey Way
The BID will engage with its neighbours to support projects that will benefit the wider area.
THE BID TEAM ALWAYS HELPS WITH OUR PROMOTIONS. THEY POP IN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE OK; ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP AND SUPPORT OUR BUSINESS. THEY PUT ON EVENTS THAT HELP INCREASE THE FOOTFALL AND THIS ALSO HELPS OUR BUSINESS PROFIT.
Adrian Matwiejuk
Card Factory
2024–2029 Our Ambition
As a destination of choice to maintain Harrow as a prosperous and vibrant place to visit, shop and do business.
The Harrow BID has an important leadership role to play, working with members to reduce the environmental impact of conducting business, whilst improving the economic and social sustainability for businesses and wider stakeholders alike. The Harrow BID will deliver collaborative activities which individual businesses often find difficult to achieve. Within our collective, members will have the opportunity to work with one another to benefit their business.
The Harrow BID will be a key facilitator in the implementation of sustainable programmes at a local level, co-ordinating public-private sector partnerships to implement activities that have a greater cumulative impact, and significantly, contributing to London’s overall goal to become ‘safer, cleaner, greener’.
Working in partnership with Harrow Council the activities of the Harrow BID will support the objectives of the Harrow Plan and support the delivery of creating the conditions for economic growth and investing in our community to ensure a sustainable neighbourhood.
I HAVE WORKED WITH WATFORD AND UXBRIDGE BIDS AND YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST.
Melissa Hollander
Waterstones
Action Plan
The Harrow BID provides independent business leadership and positions itself as the representative and authoritative voice on issues relating to the Harrow BID Area.
Our leadership and advocacy programme focuses on the role the Harrow BID will play in the broader strategic context, and the relationships and activities it engages in to influence on-going economic development. It provides business with an influential voice to stimulate change where necessary, resolve challenges and take advantage of opportunities.
The Harrow BID will continue to work in partnership with and lobby local government to help support our business community grow and flourish in Harrow. The BID will compliment Harrow Council’s Economic Strategy.
Through advocacy and collective voice the BID will seek to:
- Inform policy and respond to consultations
- Comment on proposed development and infrastructure changes, local planning policy and licensing regulations
- Respond to the climate emergency to help improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and reduce surface transport and congestion
- Affect change on the issues that matter most to our members
Work will focus on maintaining the BID area as a destination of choice which is safe, well managed and communicated, and attracts high levels of satisfaction from visitors, businesses locating in the area and those choosing to work in Harrow.
The Harrow BID will help ensure that a quality trading environment is maintained and play a role in stimulating on-going investment. Harrow BID will help to maintain confidence in Harrow by talking up the town, its economic performance and overall potential. It will seek to attract new and exciting businesses and in particular independent traders that are increasingly faced with difficult economic conditions.
Insights
As a collective, the Harrow BID brings members together through business insight events to provide access to insights and commercial opportunities. Reliable and relevant information is key to understanding trends and essential to business planning. The BID will continue to provide intelligence through shared business performance monitoring and commission and collect research data to provide business market insight, such as the GLA High Street Data Service.
The BID will provide an opportunity for its members to engage in business-to-business activity through issue-led briefings, networking events, member-centric promotions and direct introductions; it will provide a platform for members to engage with industry specialists and fellow members from the business community.
A dedicated monthly member newsletter will provide updates on current projects, events, security and key issues impacting the area, and promotional opportunities for members.
The BID will provide a conduit with the local Council and Police to assist business in matters relating to planning, licensing, crime, waste services, cleansing and highways.
Safe, Clean, Green, Vibrant
Operationally the BID will focus its delivery programme on four interconnected themes which together will be effective in supporting and promoting the management of Harrow Town Centre and its business community, whilst reflecting any additional interests of the wider community.
These 4 key themes will be underpinned in their delivery by economic, environmental and social objectives – ESG.
Safe
A safe and secure working environment is a fundamental requirement and as such the Harrow BID will connect effectively with the Metropolitan Police, Council and business community to help reduce levels of criminal activity and anti-social behaviour while enhancing the perception of safety.
- Shoplifting
- Aggressive begging
- Personal theft
- Staff assault
- Drug abuse
- Illegal street trading
- Working with schools
- Mental health matters
- Graffiti & fly posting
- Street lighting
Our operations team will respond to on-street disruptions, referring cases to the Police and assisting members with antisocial behaviour and low-level crime issues. Through our peer-to-peer radio link network, members are informed of disturbances or threats, and can call on our operations team for rapid assistance.
We will play an active role in voicing members’ concerns to public bodies through coordinated neighbourhood tasking meetings, as well as providing access to an online crime reporting system.
Harrow Business Against Crime (HBAC)
Continuing and strengthening our work with Harrow Business Against Crime (HBAC) we will continue to make Harrow a safe environment to visit. Working together with HBAC, CCTV and the Police, and with our business community we will keep our businesses connected and inform of new intelligence, trends and ongoing issues.
Reducing business crime in a safer environment will be a priority.
A key focus in partnership with the Police and Council will be the prevention and detection of crime and a reduction in business losses. The crime partnership will be developed, building on the work already undertaken by the BID. Radio Link and WhatsApp will enable members to share fast time information with each other. The Harrow BID will provide free crime prevention advice and equipment and could also provide a security presence in the town to act as a deterrent.
Street Wardens
A street warden service will be employed by the Harrow BID. Their core services will concentrate on reducing crime, the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, monitoring the street environment, providing an additional presence with particular respect to visitor wellbeing and providing information to visitors and shoppers.
Our street warden will have responsibility for ensuring a welcome for customers and acting as an information point and ambassador for the town. The warden will be equipped to answer questions and queries about the area in order to promote businesses. They will act in a supporting role to all Harrow BID businesses and be a familiar face – a friendly and welcoming presence in the town centre to make customers remember their visit to Harrow.
Security
The BID will provide resilience preparedness training and play an active role in voicing members’ concerns to the Council and Police through coordinated neighbourhood tasking meetings.
Clean
The BID will promote and provide additional street management services in partnership with the local authority. It will work with the Council to improve cleanliness and maintenance across the district, measured against an agreed baseline agreement.
A significant portion of illegal and unacceptable activities that take place on the streets are regulated but often enforcement levels fail to curb matters in a timely manner. Our Operations Manager will provide services to help maintain and meet the demand for a well-presented and clean area.
The Harrow BID will work with the Council to help facilitate additional support when required. We will ensure the area’s streets operate as they should every day. Our team will monitor and report on street infrastructure issues and street works to the Council and utility companies, while our Operations Manager will provide direct support to our members.
- Litter
- Street cleansing issues
- General refuse
- Damage to paving and highways
- Damage to street furniture
- Busking and noise pollution
We will instigate monthly monitoring of crime, anti-social behaviour and street cleanliness with the Council and seasonal monitoring of trees, shrubs and general greening within the Town Centre.
Trade Waste
In partnership with the Council we will seek to introduce waste consolidation and delivery consolidation schemes, saving businesses money, reducing carbon emissions and encouraging more recycling.
WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BID WHO SUPPORT THE SHOP AND HELP WITH ACTIVITIES AND CHECK UP ON ALL OUR PROMOTIONS AND HELPS
SHARE DETAILS.
Rajiv Perera
Yako
Green
Increasingly businesses are recognising their role and responsibility both in protecting and enhancing the environment in which they operate and the Social Value that can be created. The climate emergency is now higher on the agenda than ever before. The BID will collaborate with businesses to help them operate more sustainably and seek campaigns that support its ambitions on issues such as climate change, economic vitality and employment.
The Harrow BID will bring together the different activities of individual businesses in Harrow into a framework aimed towards enhancing the future sustainability of the area.
- A vibrant community
- Increased recycling
- Improved air quality
- Reduced carbon emissions
- Business resilience
- Reduced business costs through collective buying
- Assisting members achieve ESG targets through collaboration
- A richer outdoor environment
- Reducing the environmental impact of the Town Centre
- Work in collaboration with the Council and businesses, improving local employment and skills
- Seek to engage the local community into a CSR programme
Green Infrastructure
Green Infrastructure is becoming more instrumental as a means of improving the local streetscape. In order to enhance the quantity of green space in the area the Harrow BID will develop, stimulate and encourage planters and hanging baskets, living walls and green space generally.
The BID will support and enhance the floral displays that already exist in the town centre to help make sure that Harrow looks smart, vibrant and seasonally there is always a reason to visit.
The BID will focus on creating a more pleasant outdoor environment for people to enjoy while helping businesses to reduce their environmental impact.
Vibrant
Town Centre Development
The BID is working with Harrow Council who have secured £8.1 million funding for the town centre. The investment will be used for a variety of plans including new kiosks along St Anns Road, ‘meanwhile use’ in Greenhill Way car park, and linking the town up – particularly at night time.
Jan Kattein Architects have been engaged and have provided some initial draft drawings illustrating possible kiosk designs. The current traders including Key Cutting Kiosk, St Anns Flowers and the Fruit & Veg stall are being consulted so that designs can be honed to exactly what is needed.
The Council has also agreed to spend around £1 Million of the funding from the Future High Streets Fund on developing an exciting new project for Greenhill Way car park known as ‘meanwhile use’. The plan is to develop a space which could offer a mix of affordable commercial workspaces, a leisure-led business open to the public, and attractive public space. The finished development will be leased to the successful operator who will be responsible for managing the operation of the site for the next 5 years.
Discussions are taking place as to what would be required to change the perception of the area, to attract people and increase footfall following the closure of Debenhams/The Landmark, and your opinions will help shape this fantastic project.
Additionally, connectivity will be looked at by improving pedestrian links to the town centre, specifically by improving the public realm along St Anns Road and routes both around and into the town centre, e.g. between Harrow on the Hill Station and the town centre along Clarendon Road.
This will provide an alternative link to St Anns Road when St Anns Shopping Centre is closed and along College Road to encourage movement of pedestrians along an underused part of the town centre; improving town centre severance by improving links from Pinner Road and Greenhill Way.
The public realm improvements will also include multi-sensory design/adaptive sensory environments, power and water, bollards, lighting and signage.
Events
The Harrow BID manages an active communications and events programme. We will continue to promote and communicate what is happening in the town centre to targeted audiences; from local business and visitors to Harrow, to employees and the local community.
Our events, business collaborations and promotional programmes will make the area a fun and vibrant place to be. Providing engaging events to animate our streets, will give the area a sense of place, where staff and the whole community will be proud to work and spend time.
Working alongside media partners our social media presence will promote key messages about the town, events and specific business promotions.
The BID will also seek to ensure that all Harrow initiatives are conscious of the environment when organising and promoting events.
Specifically the Harrow BID will:
- Deliver the Harrow Christmas Lights installation and associated promotional programme.
- Enhance the Evening Economy by connecting retail and leisure offer and extending the trading day into the early evening.
- Build relationships with the Council and commercial partners to continually create news, content and reasons to visit Harrow
- Deliver promotional activity via social media, website, printed material and newsletter
- Introduce exclusive member-to-member offers and facilitate member collaborations, connecting the office community with retail and hospitality venues.
Measurement
The Harrow BID will provide evidence of quality management and return on investment through service delivery. Focus will be placed upon transparency, accountability, financial management and member engagement.
I HAVE WORKED WITH THE BID OVER MANY YEARS NOW AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ON HAND TO HELP OUT WITH ANY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE. THIS HAS INCLUDED ASB, BINS NOT BEING EMPTIED, ILLEGAL TRADING AND MUCH MORE. WITHOUT THE BID IN THE TOWN CENTRE I DON’T KNOW HOW WE WOULD HAVE GOT THIS SORTED.
Tony Izzet
GoodFella’s Cafe
Governance – Evaluating the selection process and effectiveness of the board, directors and members of the Harrow BID.
Management and Operations – Evaluating the staffing structure, contracts, insurance policies and data protection.
Financials – Evaluating the Harrow BID financial systems, ensuring professional and transparent procedures.
Performance Management – Evaluating the methods used by the Harrow BID to review performance and ensuring the views of levy payers are communicated effectively.
Communication and Reporting – Evaluating the Harrow BID’s communications activities, focusing on how processes and activities are reported to levy payers and how return on investment is assessed.
Finance
The levy that provides the BID’s funding is governed by a set of BID rules.
When the BID is approved at ballot all eligible businesses will pay 2% of their rateable value to fund the action plan set out in this Business Plan. The BID will be in place for five years and all retail, leisure, food and beverage and office businesses at or above the £30,000 threshold of rateable value level will be liable for contributing to the BID.
Income generated from the BID will be ring-fenced to be invested in our BID area to deliver our business plan. Projects delivered by the BID will be above and beyond those carried out by public services through statutory provision.
The BID Rules
- The BID term will be a period of five years from 1 April 2024–31 March 2029;
- BID Levy will be applied to rated properties in the BID with a rateable value of £30,000 or more;
- The levy will be a fixed rate of 2% RV as at 1 April 2024 using the 2023 list for all eligible rate payers;
- Properties coming into the rating list during the BID term will be subject to the levy from the effective date that the property is brought into the rating list and the
rateable value effective at that time; - Charitable organisations in receipt of mandatory charitable relief will receive 80% allowance;
- Empty properties will be liable for the BID levy via the ratepayer with no void period;
- The levy will assume an annual growth rate for inflation of 3% to be applied 1 April each year;
- There will be no VAT charged on the BID levy;
- The BID levy will not be increased other than as specified in the levy rules;
- The BID levy rules and BID area cannot be altered without an alteration ballot.
WE HAVE SHOPS LOCATED IN OTHER BID AREAS. HARROW BID IS BY FAR THE BEST. THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU AND VERY SUPPORTIVE WITH ANY ISSUES OR QUESTIONS WE HAVE. THEY HAVE A GOOD VISIBLE PRESENCE IN THE TOWN AND NOTHING IS TOO MUCH FOR THEM.
Spencer Davis
Stag London
Budget
Income and Expenditure 2024–2029
Notes to Budget
Budget figures are indicative, based on the anticipated levy income using 2023 rateable values. Assumed 3% annual inflationary increase and 100% levy collection rate. Levy income may fluctuate in relation to occupancy and is subject to the market at the time of the ratings assessment.
Allocations reflect current priorities; these may change causing variances and re-allocations across the five-year term. Any material variations of the budget will be approved by the Board. Contingency based upon 10% of BID levy.
Our management and overheads will be maintained where possible beneath the industry benchmark of 20%. We seek to leverage voluntary income, which will help enable more of our members’ contributions to be allocated to work programmes, which directly benefit business and the local area in general.
BID Levy Monitoring
Through an Operating Agreement with the Council, a process is put in place to monitor the collection of the BID levy over the duration of the five-year tenure.
Within one month of the ballot result, the Harrow BID and the Council will set up a Monitoring Group. There will be at least two meetings of the group each financial year throughout the BID term. At each meeting the monitoring group will:
- Review the effectiveness of collection and recovery of the BID levy
- Assess and review management reports
Leveraging additional non-BID Levy Funding
The Harrow BID will seek to grow its voluntary members scheme and in particular leverage its activity towards the delivery of additional funding to support ongoing work programmes. This is with particular regard to public funding opportunities and commercial/corporate partners.
Governance
Business Improvement Districts provide an effective organisational model which bring together the business community, public authorities and property owners, to work for the benefit of defined locations.
The Harrow BID company membership will have two categories:
Harrow BID levy payers – commercial occupiers liable to pay the Harrow BID levy will be admitted to membership in accordance with the Harrow BID Company’s Articles of Association.
Voluntary members – companies and organisations that are not Harrow BID levy payers will be admitted to membership of the BID subject to the approval of their application by the BID Company Board.
The application of voluntary members will be supported by either a financial contribution of a fixed annual sum (cash or in-kind) or their strategic importance to the delivery of the Harrow BID’s business objectives. Key groups may include smaller businesses that choose to join the Harrow BID on a voluntary basis, property owners, the Council and the Police.
Organisation Structure
A Board of Directors will lead and guide the work of the Harrow BID which is chosen from the businesses which form the constituency of the organisation. The Board will seek a wide range of skills, experience and a balanced opinion.
The Harrow BID Board will meet quarterly and drive the longer-term ambitions of the company, as well as performing the corporate governance role, setting the strategy, overseeing the budget and monitoring performance. The Board will consist of a maximum of 12 Non-Executive Directors including the Chair.
Directors will be appointed by the Board subject to ratification by Harrow BID members at annual meetings of the company.
*Further details available in the Company Articles of Association
The BID Board
Retailer representatives at least 4 members
Leisure representatives at least 2 members
Office representatives at least 1 member
Chair of Finance and Governance Group
Chair of Marketing sub-group
Chair of Operational sub-group
Observers
Observers can be appointed by the Board subject to ratification by Harrow BID members at annual meetings of the company. Key groups will include the local Council and Metropolitan Police.
Board Sub-Groups
To help guide the Harrow BID in this pursuit, Board sub-groups will be set up to encourage participation and help to add value to the decision making of the Harrow BID:
Finance & Governance Group
Marketing & Promotions Group
Operations Groups
Harrow Business Against Crime
Current Board members
Adam Durrant (Chair) – Metro Bank
David Robinson (Vice Chair) – St Anns Shopping Centre
Stephen Spence – The Junction
Beaven Conniff – Wilko
Vimal Patel – Boots Opticians
Reema Mavani – McDonald’s
Thomas Russell – McDonald’s (Alternate)
Cllr Norman Stevenson – LB Harrow
Mark Billington – LB Harrow
Geoff Rimmer – St George’s Shopping Centre
LB Harrow
A key relationship exists between the Harrow BID and the Council. Harrow Council is the main determining authority in respect of the streets and properties in the BID area. Two important legal agreements exist between the Harrow BID and the Council:
- An Operating Agreement which outlines how the Harrow BID levy monies are collected, administered and passed over to the Harrow BID.
- A Baseline Agreement which specifies the level of service provision in the area, ensuring that any services the Harrow BID provides are additional.
*To view the Operating Agreement and Baseline Agreement go to www.ha1bid.co.uk
Voluntary members
Businesses of all sizes are important to the Harrow BID. The Harrow BID will maintain a voluntary membership scheme for businesses falling beneath the Harrow BID levy threshold or outside of the Harrow BID area.
This will provide smaller businesses the opportunity to engage with and benefit from the Harrow BID, while not being compelled to contribute a mandatory levy. By enabling businesses with a rateable value of less than £30,000 to provide a voluntary levy, we will be able to enhance the level of the annual budget.
Property Owners
Property owners in the area are encouraged to join the Harrow BID on a voluntary basis and help inform the longer-term objectives of the organisation. As set out in the member criteria, membership is on the basis of a financial contribution towards the overall management of the Harrow BID or towards specific projects the Harrow BID seeks to advance.
Wider Stakeholders
The BID has sought to embrace the wider community within its programme of work, which meets its stated aims and objectives. The BID will continue to communicate and work with the local community and provide an opportunity for wider views to be embraced within the Harrow BID’s decision making.
Engaging with the wider community, those that work and live in the area will be an important part of the organisation’s work plan to help deliver an improved sense of place for all to enjoy and benefit from.
Using your Vote
Make your vote count
If you would like to secure a further five years of dedicated investment in the area and the delivery of this plan, please cast your vote.
Following a successful ballot, the Harrow BID will begin its third term on 1 April 2024.
In the instance of an unsuccessful ballot, the projects, services and campaigns funded by the Harrow BID will be terminated. We will not be replaced by another company. Instead, the Harrow Town Centre will return to the statutory services provided by public bodies.
Voting process
Governed by Government legislation and regulations, BIDs are statutorily established once voted for by the majority of businesses in an area. They have a maximum term of five years before returning to their electorate for renewal.
A successful BID has to have ‘buy-in’ from the majority of those businesses who will finance it – both for a successful vote and also to ensure the partnership evolves in a positive environment. For a BID to be introduced, the ballot of business must meet two conditions: a majority in number
of those voting and a majority in proportion of rateable value of those voting. The BID levy is then applicable to all eligible businesses.
When the majority of eligible businesses vote to establish a Business Improvement District, they create a legal vehicle and give it legitimacy as the voice of local businesses.
Throughout the UK, this combination has proved a powerful force for delivery of change.
From November 2023 you will be given the opportunity to vote on this business proposal for the renewal of the Harrow Town Centre BID. All eligible businesses will be entitled to one vote per hereditament. Some businesses occupying more than one hereditament within the area will therefore be entitled to more than one vote.
To ensure neutrality, the BID ballot will be administered by the Council’s Returning Officer and Electoral Services staff. It will be arranged in line with the rules set out in the BID regulations (2004) as approved by Parliament.
Voting procedures
-
Notice of ballot issued on:
1 November 2023 -
Ballot papers distributed on:
15 November 2023 -
Ballot papers returned by:
5pm, 15 December 2023 -
Ballot result announced on:
Monday 18 December 2023
Contact Details
To discuss this document in more detail please call:
020 8863 9933
to speak to Louise Baxter or email:
louise.baxter@ha1bid.co.uk
The BID is your opportunity to have an influential voice and implement changes that will positively affect your business and help us all to promote a thriving Harrow Town Centre.
Working together with our partners and our local communities, we can ensure that the Harrow Town Centre BID remains a safe, clean, green and vibrant area which works for businesses and of which everyone can be proud.