Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are business led partnerships which are created through a ballot process to deliver additional services to local businesses. They can be a powerful tool for directly involving local businesses in local activities and allow the business community and local authorities to work together to improve the local trading environment.

Following the High Streets Conferences held on 11 January and 21 March 2022, the council commissioned a BID feasibility report. The report provided a series of recommendations for potential formation of a BID for Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone, subject to the outcome of a ballot in summer 2023.

At the 10 January 2023 Brentwood Business Partnership (BBP) meeting, the board voted unanimously to write to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Chief Executive of Brentwood Borough Council to give notice that BBP is asking the billing authority (Brentwood Borough Council) to put a BID Proposal to ballot on 29 June 2023.

Cllrs Poppy, Hossack, Kendall and Pearson declared a non-pecuniary interest as they are members or attend meetings of Brentwood Business Partnership. 

Members were asked to:

R1. Approve that Brentwood Borough Council adopts the role of the Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone BID Body, subject to the submission of a final BID business plan by the Brentwood Business Partnership on 17 May 2023 and the outcome of a BID ballot on 29 June 2023.

R2. Note that the Brentwood Business Partnership will become the BID advisory group, subject to the outcome of a BID ballot on 29 June 2023.

After a full discussion, Cllr Hossack MOVED and Cllr Poppy SECONDED the

recommendation in the report. A vote was taken and it was RESOLVED.