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The BID - Pre Ballot
The suggestion of a BID in Worcester was undertaken in 2004 when an independent Best Value Review determined that Worcester City Council's city centre management function the 'City Centre Forum' would be best served if it were to undertake the remit of the tourism function of the city council under the auspices of a new not for profit organisation. As a result, Discover Worcester Ltd, trading as VisitWorcester was created in 2006 with a Board of Directors. VisitWorcester now delivers tourism, events and city centre management within the city centre on a limited budget. It also secured £50,000 funding from the City Council to develop the BID which it was felt would help to collectively fund projects in the city centre which the business community want and are willing to contribute towards. In February 2008, the BID Project Manager was appointed and the process of developing the BID began.
It was felt that a BID was necessary in Worcester for a variety of reasons:
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The city centre management budget to deliver initiatives to help improve trade in the city was very limited.
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To prevent businesses freeloading by ensuring that projects are funded by those businesses who will be paying for them.
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To give the private sector a genuine stake in the welfare of the city centre.
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To challenge retailers, to appreciate the difficult resource decisions facing a modern local authority.
The BID will also challenge traditional council ways of working. Businesses will want to see what Councils should be delivering and so Baseline Agreements which will clearly show the levels of service they provide. This will be written to convey to businesses what they can and cannot expect of the Councils and Police and as such what added value the BID will deliver. They do not replace the levels of service provided by them.
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