Aberdeen City Council decides not to veto Aberdeen Inspired BID Proposals

12 April 2021

Aberdeen City Council has today [Monday 12 April 2021] decided not to veto the Business Improvement District (BID) Proposals 2021-2026, which have been drawn up by Aberdeen Inspired.  

The committee agreed that the Chief Officer – City Growth should now arrange for the issuing of the requisite notices under section 42 of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 and that the ballot of the BID proposal should be held on 24 June 2021.  

The outcome of the ballot will determine whether or not a new BID comes into force. If the BID Proposals are approved by ballot, the BID would commence on 1 July 2021. The outcome of the ballot will depend on the individual decisions of each eligible voter based on their review of the proposals supplied by Aberdeen Inspired.  

The proposals for the next five-year period are mainly building on activities previously undertaken by Aberdeen Inspired to attract people to the city centre with levy payers and wider stakeholders.

The proposals reflect new objectives that focus on business recovery as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, a renewed focus on cleanliness, which would go beyond the baseline services provided by the Council as well as focussing on attracting footfall to the city and increasing ‘dwell time’ in the city.

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Douglas Lumsden, vice convener, Urgent Business Committee said: “The decision taken by Aberdeen City Council today was a statutory function and it is now over to Aberdeen Business Improvement District (BID) members to decide.”

The BID Proposals have been submitted to Scottish Towns Partnership and the Scottish Government in terms of the relevant legislative requirements and the BID’s good practice guidance.  

The Chief Officer – City Growth will report to Full Council on 21 June 2021, which will then decide on whether the Council votes ‘for’ or ‘against’ the BID Proposals.