What are Business Improvement Districts?
Business Improvement Districts 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.
You will be liable to pay a BID levy if you are responsible for Business Rates for a property in the BID area.
The ballot
Businesses that are subject to the levy, as set out in the proposals, vote in a ballot. This determines whether the scheme goes ahead.
A successful vote is one that has a simple majority both in votes cast and in rateable value of votes cast. Each business entitled to vote in a Business Improvement District ballot is allowed one vote in respect of each property occupied or (if unoccupied) owned by them in the geographical area of the Business Improvement District.
Once the Business Improvement District is in operation, the levy is charged on all businesses within the Business Improvement District area (regardless of whether or how that business voted in the ballot).
Cranleigh BID proposers held their ballot in March 2023.
Farnham and Godalming BID proposers held their ballot in October 2023.
- The BID will last for five years
- The BID levy rate is 2% of the rateable value at the start of the billing period each year
- The BID levy is payable on all properties that have a rateable value of £5,000 or more.
Waverley is responsible for billing and collecting the BID levy on behalf of the BID Companies.
Making a payment
Payment details:
Waverley Borough Council
Sort Code: 40-22-12
Account number: 21369121
When making a payment, quote your BID invoice number and not your Business Rates account number.
BIDs in Waverley
Cranleigh BID
Billing period: 1 November to 31 October each year.
BID levy rate: 2% of the rateable value as at 1 November each year.
For further information about the Cranleigh BID or if you have any queries, visit the Cranleigh BID website.
Farnham BID
Billing period: 1 April to 31 March each year.
BID levy rate: 2% of the rateable value as at 1 April each year.
For further information about the Farnham BID or if you have any queries, visit the Farnham BID website.
Godalming BID
Billing period: 1 April to 31 March each year.
BID levy rate: 2% of the rateable value as at 1 April each year.
For further information about the Godalming BID or if you have any queries, visit the Godalming BID website.