Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Growth detailing the renewal proposals for the GO! Southampton Business Improvement District for a second term of operation.

(i)  To instruct the Returning Officer to hold a ballot in relation to GO! Southampton’s renewal proposals. The postal ballot will run for at least 28 days prior to closing on 11 November 2021.

(ii)  To agree to delegate authority to Executive Director of Place to vote on behalf of the Council in the GO! Southampton ballot, as a non-domestic ratepayer of Council-owned properties in the enlarged BID area. (A map of the current and new BID areas can be found in Appendix 2.)

(iii)  Authorise the Service Director - Legal and Business Operations to complete the necessary legal agreements required for the operation of the GO! Southampton BID arrangements.

1.  Under the BID regulations, the Council has a duty to receive BID proposals as part of the process to ballot. The Council has a role in ensuring compliance and has the power under the regulations to veto a BID proposal after ballot where it believes the BID proposals:

•  are likely to materially conflict with any of the Council’s formal policies;

•  place an inequitable and significantly disproportionate financial burden on any class of non-domestic ratepayer as a result of manipulation of the BID area or BID levy.

2.  The recommendations are in support of the “Go Southampton” renewal and alteration proposal as it is considered to:

•  conform to all required BID Regulations;

•  add value to existing initiatives and local strategic priorities, particularly the Council Plan, Economic Green Growth Strategy 2030 and the City of Culture 2025 bid;

•  support a local recovery from the COVID pandemic, the shock to the sectors mandated to close, including non-essential retail, hospitality and leisure;

•  provide leverage of additional resource and initiatives to improve the experience, marketing and viability of the City Centre and thereby enhance the economic growth of the city and outcomes for residents and businesses.

The map in this appendix provides the new, proposed BID area extensions.

Should the Council vote not to support the proposal, it would risk the loss of levy revenue of £6.18 million for 2022-2027 as the BID would be dissolved without a ballot and therefore the levy revenue not collected. Without the BID, working with the Council, the following would be impacted:

•  The promotion and regeneration of the city centre;

•  The loss of a dedicated programme to support recovery from the economic impacts of COVID 19, especially across the retail and hospitality sectors;

•  The loss of additional support for the City of Culture 2025 bid;

•  The loss of additional leverage and external funding; and

•  Damage to business relationships and dis-engagement of local businesses to work in partnership with each other and with the Council for the betterment of the area.