Publication - FOI/EIR release

Information in relation to Business Improvement Districts: FOI release

Published: 5 April 2018
Topic: Housing, Public sector

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

FOI reference: FOI/18/00735
Date received: 9 March 2018
Date responded: 3 April 2018

Information requested

Information in relation to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Scotland, specifically:

1. There was a consultation in 2003 which proposed that the BIDs model could be used in Scotland. I would like to see the output from this consultation.

2. Legislation was then passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2006 to allow BIDs in Scotland. I would like see what research was undertaken that demonstrated the pros and cons of establishing BIDs, in particular their impacts on local communities/residents. This research would have supported discussion and subsequent decision making in the parliament.

3. I would also like to receive the output from the Committee meetings that led to the BID model being passed in parliament.

4. In March 2006, the Scottish government announced funding for six pilot BIDs in Scotland. I would like to obtain the independent assessment of these BIDs that would have been undertaken, establishing the model to be successful, before the BID model was extended further.

Response

In order to fully answer your request, it is nescessary to split it into the constituent queries asked above.

1. The original consultation paper has been attached as a PDF document called FOI-18-00735 - 1 - Business Improvement Districts Consultation 2003. The output from this consultation has been attached as a PDF document called FOI-18-00735 - 1 - Business Improvement Districts Consultation 2003 - Analysis of Responses.

2. Primary research regarding BIDs was conducted in a 2006 consultation, a PDF of this consultation is attached as FOI-18-00735 - 2 - Consultation on proposals for secondary legislation. On the first page of this document you will find a link to additional online resources held on an archive page of the Scottish Government's internet site which you may find of use. The analysis of this consolation has also been attached as a PDF document called FOI-18-00735 - 2 - Consultation on proposals for secondary legislation - Analysis of Responses. You will note that the consultation did not contain any specific questions regarding the impact of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) on local communities or residents.

3. You can download the full output from the Parliamentary Committee here:

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/24795.aspx.

This link will take you to a page of the Scottish Parliament's website where you will be able to access all the information regarding the passing of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Bill 2006, Part 9 covers Business Improvement Districts.

4. The initial success of the BID model was determined by five of the six pilots succeeding at ballot. In 2011 Improvement Districts Scotland Ltd (trading as Business Improvement Districts Scotland) commissioned EKOS Consulting Ltd to conduct an evaluation of the pathfinder BIDs. Their report (FOI-18-00735 - 4 - Pathfinder BID Study – Final Report) and executive summary (FOI-18-00735 - 4 - Pathfinder BID Study - Executive Summary) have been attached. For further information, you are referred to the archived web page detailed above.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses