BID stands for Business Improvement District, a business-led, business-funded partnership defined by a geographical location, which strives to improve the local area for the benefit of businesses, shoppers and visitors. Business Improvements Districts have been operating across the UK for over a decade, with the first BID starting in January 2005. There are over 270 BIDs set up around the UK, with over 50 being in London alone. Local successful BIDs include Love Wimbledon and Kingston First.
- A straight majority by the number of those voting.
- A majority in the Rateable Value of those voting.
A BID term is typically for five years and then businesses go back to ballot based on a new business plan.
In November 2016, 76% of businesses by number, 73% of businesses by rateable value with a 39% turn out voted for Putney to become a Business Improvement District. The Positively Putney Business Improvement District became operational in April 2017.
Positively Putney is funded by 409 businesses paying a small levy based on the rateable value of their property. This will achieve an investment of £1.4 million over the next five years. This money will be spent within the BID boundary on the goals laid out by the business plan. Projects and services must be additional to those provided by the local authority. It does not fund services already in place.
BID Ambassadors
Positively Putney has welcomed two BID Ambassadors onto our workforce as a direct point of contact between the BID and your business. They are passionate about informing you of the latest services the BID is offering and ensure that you are aware what is happening in Putney. They are very distinctive in their panama hats, please do stop them for a chat.
Marta and Soraya patrol the Putney BID area six days a week and can assist with issues such as:
- Sticker and fly post removal
- Reporting of broken paving, lamp columns or street furniture
- Reporting abandoned bicycles and fly tipping
- Monitoring of trade waste arrangements
The BID ambassadors are working closely with your business, the Police and Wandsworth Council to ensure Putney is a welcoming, safe and clean town.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Positively Putney BID Ambassadors:
ambassadors@positivelyputney.co.uk
Marta Lopez
T: 07811 974 093
Soraya Molinero
T: 07811 974 367
Trade Waste
Every business is legally required to dispose of their waste with a registered company. Positively Putney BID has joined forces with City and Suburban Waste services to offer cheaper trade waste deals to businesses of Putney.
City and Suburban Waste Services is an independent, family owned business. They operate within the council time bands for trade waste collection between 9.00-11.00 am and 9.00-11.00 pm for both sack and wheelie bin services. The revised European Waste Directive states that from the 1st January all businesses should be separating their recyclables for collection. They will offer a discount of 20% to all BID members who sign up for a mixed recycling service. Offers are also available on a range of other services including food recycling, general waste, confidential shredding, white good and electrical items. They take the waste to produce green energy, so it’s good for the planet and its good for your business.
The discounted prices are:
- 5KG dry mixed recycling sack = £0.96
- 5KG glass recycling sack = £0.92
- Cardboard recycling sticker = £0.80
Even better, fewer lorries collecting waste will help traffic congestion, and the impact on air quality.
For more information on City and Suburban Waste services, visit http://cityandsuburbanwaste.co.uk/
Or contact:
T: 020 8642 4762
And remember to mention you are a positively Putney member.
Annual Deep Clean
When we asked you, what is the most important thing to increase footfall in Putney for your business, most of you said, the cleanliness of the streets. Positively Putney has listened to you!
We have undertaken a deep clean of Putney High Street in August 2017 with particular attention to chewing gum removal. This operation was funded completely by the BID, and completed overnight. We will extend this service to other areas with high footfall and in need, such as outside East Putney station. We are looking to repeat this at least annually.
The aim of the deep clean is to attract more visitors to town by tackling Putney’s cleanliness and appearance. Dusting off Putney to allow the vibrant colour to shine through.
We will continue to:
- Promote Putney as a vibrant town centre in which to shop, work, live and visit
- Develop the Positively Putney consumer facing website which promotes all levy payers
- Raise the profile of Positively Putney with the use of targeted, cross-channel campaigns
- Regular use of social media to encourage people to engage with the Positively Putney brand
- Increase footfall by organising key events during the year
Retail Radio Scheme
At Positively Putney, we think that it is important for local businesses to have easy contact with each other. The Retail Radio scheme allows businesses to be informed of crime issues that may affect them, and provides additional security for employees.
The Retail Radio Scheme connects you directly with the Police, CCTV, other businesses in Putney and our BID Ambassadors.
Positively Putney has negotiated a brilliant deal for Putney businesses. You can introduce Retail Radio into your business today, for a special discounted annual fee of £180. But best be quick, this deal is only valid for the first sixty businesses that sign up!
For more information on Retail Radio contact
Air Quality
It is a well-known fact that Putney has poor air quality. To make Putney a more desirable town to visit, Positively Putney is working hard to improve the quality of air in the town.
The Putney BID will work alongside the central Government, Wandsworth Council, and London Transport services, to ensure the issue of air quality in Putney is being addressed.
The ways in which Positively Putney hope to improve air quality in Putney range from, encouraging more people to cycle and walk, improving traffic flow through Putney by monitoring traffic lights and other obstacles, and encouraging drivers to switch their engines off when waiting at traffic lights. These methods ensure that Putney’s employees, shoppers, visitors and locals are all breathing healthier and cleaner air.
Positively Putney has put an application into the Mayors Air Quality Business Fund to make improvements on Putney High Street. We will find out if we have been successful in November 2017. If successful the work would be implemented during the financial year 2018/2019.
Pubwatch
Putney’s nightlife is getting more and more popular, with great new bars popping up all over town. Putney’s thriving night-time economy needs to be carefully managed through strategic planning, and best practice.
Positively Putney is managing the Pubwatch scheme with bimonthly meetings for all the businesses in the night-time economy. The meetings are attended by the Police Licensing Sergeant, the Football Public Disorder Officer and the local PC ward officers. The meeting allows for the discussion and dissemination of intelligence to assist tackling anti-social behaviour and other local issues.
Next meeting held on Wednesday 8th November, at 3pm, being held in upstairs of McDonalds, Putney High Street.
Communications
Positively Putney BID Team always welcome input and ideas from all levy paying businesses and want to hear of any issues and concerns so we can continually evolve and adapt according to priorities.
The BID team are regularly out and about meeting with businesses, please do get in touch if you would like to visit our office or for one of us to come to your premises and discuss projects and services, which are relevant to you and your business.
We appreciate communication preferences differ and thus we implement a cross-channel approach so you can choose your preferred way to connect with us.
For any queries on business communications, please contact Nicola Grant.
E-newsletter:
We will produce a fortnightly newsletter for BID Members. This will be a relevant, timely and interactive news summary, whether it is an update on the delivery of a project, our response to a local consultation or details of a festival, we aim to provide businesses with important information and opportunities to consider.
Sign up to business newsletter here:
With the rise in popularity of social media, we connect with businesses through twitter, Facebook and Linked
Social icons here:
We understand that there are some members who still prefer paper so we will produce a bi-annual hard copy summary of our work, posted directly.
We will produce an annual report, which will evaluate our performance over the previous year. It will highlight our achievements, review our financial spend and set out our priorities for the following year.
We will hold an annual general meeting in May, open to all our members to hear a summary of the work in the previous year, including our annual accounts and future plans, plus election of non-executive Board directors.
The BID levy and who contributes?
1. The levy rate to be paid by each property or hereditament is to be calculated at 1.25% of its rateable value (2010 figures) at the ‘chargeable day’ (notionally 1st March each year).
2. Only properties or hereditaments with a rateable value of £10,000 or more will be liable for the levy.
3. The maximum levy that would be liable for any single hereditament is £12,500.
4. The BID board would decide whether to apply an annual increase to the levy, taking account of inflation and economic conditions. Any increase would not exceed 3% of the levy multiplier year-on-year.
5. The levy will be charged annually in full for each chargeable period which will be April to March each year, first payable in April 2017, and then annually each April. No refunds will be available on the levy charged. The levy must be paid in one payment.
6. The owners of untenanted properties or hereditaments will be liable for payment of the levy.
7. Occupiers within Putney Exchange shopping centre that are subject to a service charge for management will pay 60% of the levy.
8. Charitable organisations that are subject to relief on their business rates liability are subject to a discount and will pay 60% of the levy.
9. Wandsworth Council will collect the BID levy on behalf of the BID Company. To contact Wandsworth Council about your levy bill payment email jcox@wandsworth.gov.uk
10. Collection and enforcement regulations will be in line with those applied to non-domestic business rates, with the Bid Board of Directors responsible for any debt write off.
11. The funding will be kept in a separate fund account and transferred to the BID Company.
BID Operations
1. The number of directors on the board will not exceed 12. Directors will be drawn from levy paying businesses and may include some non-levy payers, although always a minority. The board will be subject to annual re-election with confirmation at the Annual General Meeting.
2. The BID board will have at least quarterly meetings.
3. The BID sub groups will meet prior to board meetings. Minutes from sub-group meetings will form part of the information provided to the board ahead of their meetings. In turn, decisions from board meetings will be circulated to the BID sub groups.
4. The BID will file annual accounts with Companies House and make available to all levy payers.
5. An annual report on activities, including finances, will be published.
6. All levy paying businesses are eligible to become members of the BID company and to vote at the Annual General meeting.
7. The Operating Agreement, which includes the Council’s Baseline service commitments, is available. (PDF document)
Company Information
Company business name: Putney BIDCo Limited trading as Positively Putney
Company number: 10231689
VAT no: 264119609