ABOUT THE BID

Groups of businesses are able to commission projects that lead to improvements in their local trading environment through a Business Improvement District (BID). An additional levy that’s charged through the business rates system funds the BID, with the BID running for a five year period. At the end of the five years, businesses can vote as to whether or not they want to continue with the BID for another five year period.

Download BID Business Plan

What is the BID?

The funds raised from the BID levy are held by Groundwork CLM (the accountable body for the West Chester Commercial BID) who invest the funds into added value projects and services within the trading environment. The Sealand and West Chester Business community directs and governs the commissioned projects and services.

Any services that are a statutory provision of the public sector won’t be supported by the BID funds as the BID can only fund services that are separate, extra or enhanced to those that the Local Authority are legally responsible for (Baseline Agreements).

A formal ballot needs to take place for a BID to become established. More than 50% of those voting in the ballot have to approve the BID proposal. Additionally, the companies must represent at least 50% of the rate-able value of the businesses that have voted.

All of the eligible companies within the BID area are responsible for payment of a BID levy once it’s established. More than 175 BIDs have been approved by companies across the UK since BIDs were introduced in 2004.

The West Chester Commercial BID was first approved in 2017 and came to fruition in September that year. In July 2022, businesses in the BID area voted to approve a second term BID, with 75% of businesses voting in favour by number and 76% voting in favour by rateable value. This result guarantees added value investment of over £500,000 over the term of BID 2 to further enhance Sealand Road Industrial Estate and Chester West Employment Park.

Throughout both BID 1 and BID 2 a range of improvement projects have been implemented to enhance the trading environment, including upgrading the image of Sealand and Chester West Employment Park and reducing crime in the area through the state of the art CCTV and ANPR system as well as the incorporation of bank holiday security services. The BID also offers support and advice to businesses, provides a number of popular training courses for employees to upskill staff and distributes key information on access to business grants and support.