COVENTRY businesses will be able to vote on whether the city’s Business Improvement District (BID) should get another five-year term.
As part of its five-year business plan, the BID has announced it will be prioritising security, promoting the city centre and support following consultation with firms in the city.
The plan is part of the re-ballot process, which will see eligible businesses given the chance to vote for another five-year term for the BID.
Businesses began to receive their ballot papers on Tuesday (January 17) and must be returned by 5pm on Thursday, February 14.
If the majority of businesses are in favour of the BIDs plan, a fifth term will begin on April 1.
The consultation showed 74 per cent of businesses said it was important for the BID’s street patrol team to operate during peak business hours.
In addition, 55 per cent of businesses said they regularly use retail radios delivered by the BID as part of a scheme to share local intelligence with other firms, the BID’s street patrol team, CCTV operators and the local neighbourhood policing team.
The BID business plan looks to ensure a safe and secure city centre, such as aiming for Purple Flag accreditation.
The plan also aims to offer marketing support to promote culture, tourism and events through the city centre website, social media pages and campaigns.
Other priorities outlined in the plan include continuing to run networking sessions with guest speakers for Coventry firms, as well as supporting businesses affected by the City Centre South development.
BID Manager Joanne Glover said: “In line with our members’ feedback, we’re going to continue to promote culture, tourism and events, to invest in campaigns that celebrate Coventry as a thriving location for investment, to ensure businesses are involved in partnership working across the city, and to help raise the national and international profile of Coventry.
“All of this needs the support of our businesses so we can continue our work for a fifth term, and without that, the work that we’ve started and hope to continue will disappear.”
