Business Improvement District (BID)
A Business Improvement District (BID) is a defined area in which a levy is charged on all business rate payers in addition to the business rates bill. This levy is used to develop projects which will benefit businesses in the local area.
What is the BID levy?
The BID levy is a charge payable in respect of non-domestic properties in the BID area of the town centre. This outcome was voted for during the BID ballot held in June 2023.
The second BID term will start on 1 October 2023 and ends 30 September 2028. You will be issued with a levy bill from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024. Thereafter a notice will be issued every October for the period 1 October to 30 September.
The levy is payable in one payment. You are unable to pay in instalments.
Our role in the BID levy
We are responsible for collecting the levy for any business improvement district in our area. We are not responsible for providing the BID services. There is a non-local authority BID body for the Maidstone BID.
The council and the public bodies must also pay the levy on properties within the BID area. We are liable to pay non-domestic rates.
BID levy liability
The BID levy is a charge payable by law. You are unable to opt out of paying the BID levy. The BID is legally binding on the business ratepayers in the BID area.
The person or organisation liable to pay the business rates for the property is liable to pay the BID levy. If a property is occupied, the occupier is liable. If a property is empty the person or organisation entitled to occupy the property is liable to pay. This will normally be the leaseholder or the owner.
The BID levy is calculated on a chargeable day. There will be no refund if you cease to be liable to Business Rates part way through a financial year and have already paid in full. This is different to your Business Rates account which is calculated daily.
BID enquiries
Payment enquiry
If your enquiry is about payment or the amount you are charged, then you should contact our Business Rates team.
BID service or other enquiry
If your enquiry is about the BID services or anything other than payment you should contact the BID company:
One Maidstone
The Mall Management Suite
Pads Hill
Maidstone
ME15 6AT
Email: One Maidstone
Telephone:01622 678777
Services funded by the BID levy
The funds collected through the levy can only be used to pay for BID services and our costs in collecting the levy. All funds received are held in the BID revenue account. Payments are made to One Maidstone for the BID services that they provide.
By law the services provided under the BID must be additional services not already provided by us or enhancements to existing services. If you would like to find out more about these services, you can contact One Maidstone.
Increase in the BID levy
There will be an annual inflationary increase of all levy charges year on year for the duration of the BID. This includes fixed band charges.
This will be a minimum of 3% increase year on year or the inflation percentage as determined by the Consumer Price Index. It will be taken from 1 September of the year before the next billing process, whichever is greater, and rounded to the nearest tenth of a penny. Negative inflation will not apply.
Financial difficulties
If you have genuine financial difficulty and are unable to pay then you should contact us straight away. Never ignore requests for payment as this will only make the situation worse.
Declaration of result of BID ballot 30 June 2023
As ballot holder for the One Maidstone Business Improvement District (BID) proposal, I certify as follows:
- the total number of votes cast in the ballot excluding any votes given on ballot papers rejected – 161
- the aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voted in the ballot - £13,371,750.00
- the total number of votes cast in favour of the question asked in the ballot – 141, 87.58%
- the aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the question asked - £12,745,000.00, 95.31%
I hereby declare that the proposal to alter and renew a Business Improvement District (BID) in the One Maidstone Business Area was successful as the majority of the business ratepayers in the proposed BID area who voted in the ballot, both by numbers voting and aggregate rateable value, voted in favour of the proposal.
The reason and total of ballot papers rejected was as follows:
- bearing the same number as a ballot paper already received – 0
- unsigned, unmarked or void for uncertainty – 5
- total – 5
The turnout was as follows:
- number of ballot papers issued – 548
- number of ballot papers received – 166
- percentage turnout – 30.29%