Timetable 2024
- 6 June – Ballot opens and ballot papers posted
- 1 July – Deadline for appointing a proxy at 5pm
- 5 July – Lost paper deadline for applying for a replacement ballot paper
- 11 July – Last day of ballot (Day of ballot) at 5pm
- 12 July – Ballot count and result announced
(pink – ballot envelope, blue – ballot paper, orange – return envelope for completed ballot paper)
Ballot – 6 June – 11 July
The ballot will run for a 5 week period and will be conducted entirely by post by the Ballot Holder, Canterbury City Council . The Ballot Paper will be sent to you at the same address as the Notice of Ballot (unless you appoint a proxy) on Thursday 6 June for return no later than 5pm on Thursday 11 July (the day of the ballot).
How to vote
To complete the ballot paper you must:
- Check that the address of the property printed on the ballot paper is the one in respect of which you are entitled to vote;
- Place a (X) in either the ‘YES’ box to vote in favour of the proposed BID or in the ‘NO’ box to vote against; and
- Sign the ballot paper in the space provided and write your name and the position that you hold in block capitals. If you don’t complete all the information required, it could make the vote invalid.
- Fill in every ballot paper you receive. If you occupy more than one rateable property (‘hereditament’), you will receive multiple ballot papers and you need to return them all.
Voting scenarios
- Ballot Paper arrives but wrong name/right address: No problem, you may vote, sign and return if you are authorised by your business to do so.
- Ballot Paper arrives but wrong name/wrong address: No problem, if the rateable property (‘hereditament’) number is correct and you are you are authorised by your business to vote, sign and return OR you can send the ballot paper ‘internally’ in your business for completion.
- Ballot Paper arrives but wrong company name/wrong hereditament number: Apply for replacement paper.
- Ballot Paper doesn’t arrive: Apply for replacement and be clear on correct name/address
Returning a Ballot Paper
Please return your vote in the prepaid return envelope provided.
Please note the address to return your ballot paper is 14 Rose Lane, Canterbury, CT1 2UR. If you do not wish to return your postal vote using Royal Mail, you may put it through the letterbox at 14 Rose Lane.
The ballot paper must be received by the Ballot Holder no later than 5pm on Thursday 11 July 2024.
Multiple ballot papers
If you occupy more than one hereditament (property/space that you pay business rates on), you will receive multiple ballot papers. You need to return them all. Please return all papers in their corresponding return envelopes. You can place multiple ballot papers in the same return envelope if you wish but please amend the ballot paper numbers on the front of the return envelope.
Appointing someone else to vote as a proxy
The person entitled to vote in the BID ballot may appoint someone else to vote on his or her behalf as their proxy. If you would like to appoint a proxy, please email: electoral.services@canterbury.gov.uk to ask for a proxy form. The completed form must be returned to Electoral Services by 5pm on Monday 1 July.
A proxy appointment may be cancelled by notifying the Council in writing no later than 5pm on Saturday 6 July.
Lost Ballot paper
Ballot papers will be sent to those eligible to vote on Thursday 6 June. If a ballot paper has not been received by Friday 5 July you may apply to the Ballot Holder for a replacement paper in writing as follows:
a) A letter in hard copy form along with the appropriate ‘evidence of identity’.
b) A scan of both the letter and the ‘evidence of identity’ attached to an email and sent to electoral.services@canterbury.gov.uk
The letter must be signed by the Eligible Voter and evidence of the voter’s identity must be provided as follows:
a) Signed Letterhead for the appropriate company.
b) A signed photocopy of the National Non-Domestic Rating Bill for the hereditament.
c) A signed photocopy of an item of personal ID such as a Passport or Driving Licence.
Spoilt Ballot Papers
If the ballot paper is damaged or marked in any way so that it cannot be used as a ballot paper this is termed a spoilt paper. They may be returned by hand or post to the Ballot Holder who will issue a replacement. No replacements can be issued if the spoilt ballot paper is received later than Monday 8 July.
Rejected Ballot Papers
If a ballot paper is copied and two are returned bearing the same number, both will be void and not counted. Any ballot papers that are returned unsigned, unmarked or the mark is unclear, will also be void and not counted.
The Count of Ballot Papers
Ballot papers will be counted on Friday 12 July and the result will be published that day by the Ballot Holder.
Declaring the Result
The Ballot Holder will certify:
(a) The total number of valid votes cast
(b) The aggregate rateable value of valid votes cast
(c) The total number of valid votes in favour of the BID
(d) The total aggregate rateable value of valid votes in favour of the BID
(e) And if applicable, the total number of ballot papers rejected.
For the BID to be successful there must be:
(a) A majority of those voting in favour of the proposal
(b) A majority of those voting in favour of the proposal by rateable value
