Spalding Business Board members vow to make a success of Business Improvement District after narrow vote in favour

Business leaders breathed a sigh of relief as plans for a new paid-for group were passed by the barest of margins — and then vowed to prove the body’s worth by delivering positive changes.

Members of Spalding Business Board heard the result of the Business Improvement District ballot in a meeting on Monday night — and there were gasps as it emerged that the vote was narrowly carried, essentially passing by a single vote.

The BID will be part-funded by a compulsory levy on town centre business, regardless of how they voted — but backers have promised it can bring in extra investment and revitalise Spalding.

Business board chairman Craig Delaney described the news as ‘wonderful’ and ‘extremely good’ for the town — and thanked everyone involved in getting to this stage.

Returning officer Christine Marshall revealed that 58 of the 115 votes cast were in favour of the BID, with one ballot rejected.

To be created, the idea needed the backing of half of the voters by numbers and by rateable value.

While the raw number of votes was a 50.4% positive, the margin on rateable value was 64.1% — with £1,078,300 of the £1,681,250 total worth of business voters saying ‘yes’ to a BID.

The Mosaic Partnership’s Mo Aswat, a consultant who helps to establish BIDs, described it was a ‘very close result’ — but contrasted it with the ‘80% no’ last time traders were asked to vote more than a decade ago.

He accepted that people are ‘uncertain’ and added: “That’s democracy. There’s an opportunity, we just have to make sure stuff is delivered.

“With any BID we do, whether you get 51% or 70%, ultimately that ship turns when people see delivery.”

Among the projects in the BID business plan are measures to cut anti-social behaviour, improvements to landscaping, ‘hot spot’ cleaning’, moe bins, promotion of markets, a loyalty scheme for Spalding shoppers and walking trails.

There’s also an ambition to work closer with Springfields.

John Bland vowed the Spalding and District Civic Society would be a ‘critical friend’ — and said that the late Coun Angela Newton would be happy with the result, having supported the idea. He said some of the ambitions in the BID business plan had been on the group’s ‘shopping list for years’ and hoped to see them come to fruition.

Katrina Pierce, of the Federation of Small Business, pointed out that the journey to this stage began in 2021, when businesses considered what to do to recover from Covid and how to entice people back into the town centre.

She said: “This puts ownership of the town centre back in the hands of small businesses at a really critical time.”

Penman Clockcare owner Catherine Duce said it was time to reach out to ‘no’ voters — and urged them to get involved in the BID and shape its future.

She added: “It doesn’t matter if you voted yes or no, this is not a closed group.”

South Holland District Council leader Nick Worth thinks the group can make a big difference — over and above the role of the council — to bring footfall to the town centre.

Coun Worth said: “The hard work is now beginning. We have got to put our foot to the pedal. I think it is really good news for the town, really exciting.”

He added: “It’s a great result for the people of Spalding and the businesses of Spalding.”

The business board vowed to meet in the next couple of weeks, with a view to pushing on with the next steps before the summer break.

Businesses will pay a levy

Businesses in Spalding town centre will now be asked to pay a levy, that equates to 2% of their rateable value a year, to create the BID group.

Premises with a rateable value of £2,500 will pay an annual levy of £50. The cost rises for £100 for a rateable value of £5,000, £200 for a £10,000 RV, £400 for a £20,000 RV, £1,000 for a £50,000 RV, £2,000 for a £100,000 RV, £5,000 for a £250,0000 RV and £10,000 for a £500,000 RV.

The smallest independent business with a rateable value of less than £2,500 will be exempt from paying.

The BID suggests more than 75% of businesses in Spalding will pay less than £365.

It’s estimated that the levy alone will raise £170,000 a year — with the promise that this could generate 20% extra.

What do you think? What should the priorities be for the new group? Let us know in the comments below…