When the BID started three years ago following the successful Ballot in July 2014, it was led by a ‘shadow’ Board, made up principally of local business people giving of their own time, which had overseen the development of the Proposal and ballot campaign.
In early 2015, all of these people put themselves forward by nominating themselves as permanent Board Members and have now served their first 30 month term, overseeing how the BID uses levy payers money effectively, appropriately, sensibly and transparently. Having completed their first term, all of these 13 positions are open for any qualifying levy payer to self-nominate (you have to be up to date with your levy payments and represent a levy paying business within the BID area). In the event that there are more than 13 nominations, there will be an election. The existing Board Directors are all eligible for a further term/s.
From next Monday, Nomination packs will be hand delivered to every levy paying business across the BID area by the Ambassadors and the nomination process opens on 25th September, closing on 6th October.
This is important. Why? Because it is YOUR Business Improvement District. It uses YOUR money, does what YOU voted for and will either continue for another five year term after September 2019 or not depending on how YOU vote. The thirteen Directors whose positions are open for nomination all pay the levy, from Fenwick, the city’s largest levy payer, to the Refectory Kitchen, one of the smaller levy payers, and includes a wide range of locations and sectors. They give their time and enthusiasm for free on top of that because they think it is important to offer their skills and support for the BID team in delivering on behalf of the levy paying community and we thank them for this. They do a great job on your behalf.
So, please read the pack when it arrives and think about putting yourself forward (if it doesn’t get to you for some reason then the election pack is available to download from the BID website: canterburybid.co.uk/the-board. There are loads of issues in the city we know need time and effort to make them better but we also know the BID has made a tremendous positive impact in the three years it has been in operation. Think about 2013 when we had no Christmas lights or switch-on or marketing; no hanging baskets; no Ambassadors; no Medieval Pageant; no MyCanterbury ’in the City’ Guides (Autumn is out now!); no networking…
Making this happen and making it better are all about the leadership provided by the BID Board.
If not now, then when? If not you then who?
