What is a BID?

•  A Business Improvement District (BID) is a not-for-profit company set up by the businesses to improve an area.

• It empowers local businesses to raise and spend funds within an area with the aim of improving their trading environment.

• It is an investment scheme where local businesses agree how their money should be invested to benefit themselves, their employees, visitors and their town. 

• A BID is a legal body which can only come into being following a successful ballot in which all eligible businesses have a vote on whether the proposed business plan should go ahead. 

There's already over 230 BIDs operating across the country

Locally, towns such as Luton, Hitchin and Watford have already got successful BIDs

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BIDs are about additionality. They do not replace local authority or police services but provide additional resource and activities to benefit the area.