UK Engage, one of the leading election service providers in the country, has declared a ‘yes’ result in favour of a Business Improvement District (BID) for Stockport town centre, following its administration of the postal ballot.
Local business ratepayers, from within the district boundary, were able to vote in the ballot to decide whether the Business Improvement District went ahead, during September and October 2016.
The BID saw three local businesses work together on the project. The team, contracted by Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, included local community interest group, Vision Stockport – which championed the BID to create a more vibrant town centre, and Independent Scrutineer, UK Engage, to manage the postal ballot, including the declaration of the result.
A total of 193 businesses decided to vote in the ballot, with 125 voting in favour – representing a 64.7% majority vote. The ‘yes’ vote means that from 1st April 2017 funds will be available for businesses to spend on projects to improve the local town centre.
Stockport’s Business Improvement District is the 252nd to be approved in the UK, highlighting the growing popularity of the BID movement. The North West alone is home to a number of established and emerging BIDs across its cities and town centres, each with their own aims, agendas and funding pots that their hereditaments have paid in to.
Craig Poyser, agent of the ballot holder at UK Engage said: “UK Engage is an experienced election services provider and we carry out BID ballots for councils across the UK. Working with Stockport is particularly satisfying for us as, being located near to the district area, we will be able to see first-hand the improvements which will be made from 2017.”
“As the holder of the Customer Satisfaction Excellence Standard we strive to provide a service that is second-to-none, and we are always delighted to hear that the service we have provided has been well-received. We are happy to have received great feedback from Stockport Council and wish the team all the best as it proceeds into the implementation phase of the BID.”
For more information about UK Engage and our ballot service call 0345 293 5555 or email democracy@uk-engage.org