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Colne to go to ballot in June

Published: Wednesday, 21st March 2018

Colne bid

Colne businesses will go to ballot in June on whether to become a Business Improvement District (BID).

The BID which is being led by a steering group made up of the town’s businesses is supported by Colne Town Council and Pendle Council.

If the eligible businesses in the BID area vote yes on Ballot Day they could raise their own funds to strengthen the town’s economy by establishing it as a great place to shop, socialise and do business.

At last week’s Executive (15th March), a progress report on the Colne BID was discussed by councillors and it was agreed that Ballot Day will be Thursday 28 June.

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Leader of Pendle Council and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, sits on the Colne BID steering group.

He said: “This is a really exciting business-led initiative for Colne and we’re now counting down to Ballot Day!

“We want to build on the strong success of the town and make it a thriving place which is a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.

“I’d urge all of Colne’s businesses which are in the BID footprint to get behind it and vote yes.”

Businesses have had their say about what they’d like a BID for Colne to look like and four overall priorities have been identified.

  • Build an effective partnership in Colne between businesses, organisations and local councils
  • Take pride in Colne by maintaining a bright, attractive town that customers want to visit and businesses will want to be in
  • Market and promote Colne as an attractive hill town, with a distinctive offer of shops, markets and events as well as some of the best entertainment, leisure and recreation
  • Protect Colne as a safe and welcoming place to be, where shoppers, visitors and workers can feel relaxed and enjoy themselves during the day and in the evening.

These priorities will now become part of a proposed programme of work.

If businesses vote yes on Ballot Day on 28 June the BID will be implemented on 1 October.

Councillor Iqbal added: “It’s proposed that the Colne BID Levy will be set at 1.5% of rateable value, raising approximately £100,000 per year, or £0.5m, over the initial five years of the Colne BID.”

For more information there’s a dedicated website for the Colne BID – www.colnebid.co.uk