West Suffolk has two Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) covering parts of the district. BIDs are defined areas within which businesses are required to pay an additional tax (or levy) in order to fund projects within the district's boundaries.
Business Improvement District for Haverhill
On 11 March 2022 West Suffolk Council announced that the businesses of Haverhill have voted against establishing a Business Improvement District for Haverhill
Total number of votes cast in the ballot, excluding any given on ballot papers rejected
84
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voted in the ballot
£1,669,700
Total number of votes cast in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Haverhill
37
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Haverhill
£854,250
The proposal to establish a Business Improvement District for Haverhill has not been approved. A majority of the Business ratepayers in the proposed BID area who voted, voted against the proposal, but not by aggregate rateable value. Haverhill BID - Declaration of result 11 March 2022
Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)
Bury St Edmunds is covered by 'Our Bury St Edmunds'. This BID has been in operation since 2009 and is responsible for running the Food and Drink Festival each summer, the Whitsun Fayre, Christmas lights switch on, and the Festival of Sport (among other initiatives).
Our Bury St Edmunds works with businesses inside and outside the defined geographic BID zone, as well as local authorities and other regional organisations to deliver six key priority areas for Bury St Edmunds. They include:
In November 2019, West Suffolk Council announced that the businesses of Bury St Edmunds have voted for another five year term for Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District
147 businesses cast their votes in the ballot and 84% of these voted in favour of the BID.
Total number of votes cast in the ballot, excluding any given on ballot papers rejected
147
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voted in the ballot
£7,707,750
Total number of votes cast in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Bury St Edmunds
123
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Bury St Edmunds
£7,164,250
Love Newmarket Business Improvement District (BID)
Established in July 2016, the aims to be an inventive and progressive organisation run for local businesses by local businesses. The Love Newmarket BID covers a defined area of the town centre where the team works to improve the trading environment and identifies additional projects and services that develop the town centre.
Love Newmarket BID enhances and promotes the local environment for its businesses, employees, customers and the community. The BID will raise £1.152million over its five year term through an annual levy based on the rateable value of business premises over £5,000 within the BID area.
The overarching vision of Love Newmarket BID is to make a clear positive impact on the vitality of the town centre and the success of the businesses within it. Love Newmarket BID covers virtually the entire town centre and represents approximately 330 levy payers including well-known brands and organisations in the retail, leisure, hospitality and public sectors.
On 24 March 2021 West Suffolk Council announced that the businesses of Newmarket have voted for another five year term for Love Newmarket Business Improvement District
Total number of votes cast in the ballot, excluding any given on ballot papers rejected
136
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voted in the ballot
£4,420,700
Total number of votes cast in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Newmarket
87
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Newmarket
