BUSINESS chiefs are preparing for the ballot that will decide the future of the Business Improvement District.
The BID, which was launched in 2008, must hold a ballot of its hundreds of business members every five years.
It provides a range of services across the city centre including the Christmas lights, city centre rangers, hanging baskets and the anti-crime Shopwatch.
Proposals are being developed for a fourth term of the BID, to operate from April 2023 to March 2028.
In a post on its website, the BID said: "Together we have been instrumental in enabling Winchester to evolve over the past 15 years and respond to the changing needs of the local business community and the place management agenda. Independent research undertaken with BID members in autumn 2021 has helped the BID to focus its proposals for a fourth term.
"BID members at the local and national level have had the opportunity to engage and feedback into the process of creating this draft business plan. We appreciate that communications preferences differ and so we have used a variety of methods to capture insight: surveys, e-communications, meet and greets, social media, annual reviews, annual general meeting, business forums, meetings and networking groups, and online.
"Without the collective investment of the BID the experience that customers, clients, shoppers, employees and visitors have of Winchester would be notably different. Picture Winchester without the glorious and colourful floral hanging baskets during the summer, or without the beautiful lights and Christmas trees during the festive season. Imagine if there was no additional street cleaning or graffiti removal. Envisage a city without the BID Rangers and no coordination of Shopwatch or Pubwatch to help reduce business crime.
"Winchester would be so much less vibrant without the many events and festivals which unite the city, many of which the BID help support or indeed organise. The BID measure how the city is performing by way of footfall and car park sensors, the quarterly Business Barometer, vacancy rates and visitor surveys. The BID uses this information to develop our strategy and projects as well as to influence local authorities on improving access, the public realm and planning policies.
"We hold networking and training events, and many new companies have hatched from our base – Winchester Business Centre. We offer various packages for start-ups and small businesses and all income generated through the business centre is reinvested back into projects and services for BID members. We also have meeting room facilities which are free for BID members to access."
The postal ballot opens on September 22 and it closes on November 3 with the result announced on November 4.
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