Business Improvement Districts Policy Changes (BIDs): FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
Access to any documents, correspondence, reports, or ministerial briefings from 2017-2019 related to the changes in the role of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Scotland, specifically the transition to ‘Improvement Districts’.
This includes (but is not limited to):
Internal communications between Scottish Government departments and ministers discussing these changes.
Any external communications with stakeholders, including:
- Local authorities
- Business groups
- Scotland’s Towns Partnership
- Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
- Policy papers, impact assessments, or consultations carried out before the policy change.
Following a request for clarification, you confirmed on 17 March 2025 that your request was “referring to changes in the role of the organisation called 'Business Improvement Districts Scotland.
Response
A Business Improvement District (BID) is where local businesses work as one to help improve an area. Businesses decide if they want to set one up a through holding a ballot. If the ballot is successful, they pay a levy which is spent on local improvements.
From 2006, on behalf of Scottish Government ‘Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)’ Scotland (also known as IDS Scotland) provided support for developing and establishing BIDs across Scotland. In September 2018 Scottish Government ended its contract with ‘BIDS Scotland’, and ‘Scotland’s Improvement Districts’ (SIDs) was launched as the new organisation responsible for supporting and
developing BIDs in Scotland. SIDs is part of Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) and is funded through the annual grant award payment to STP.
Moving the national support role for BIDs to SIDs was intended to enable a more innovative approach to BIDs, with greater levels of support being provided for both developing and existing BIDs. This mainly involved moving towards a more expansive BID model through enabling stronger public, private and community partnerships. It also enabled STP to better align BID policy with Scottish Government’s town centre and community led regeneration aims and ambitions. This did not, however, represent a fundamental change in the role of BIDs in Scotland, but simply a change in approach. BIDs are delivered through legislation, Business Improvement Districts (Scotland) 2007 Regulations, which sets out the framework for the Business Improvement District model.
1. Internal communications between Scottish Government departments and ministers discussing these changes.
Attached to this letter is a number of documents that we have identified in relation to your request(s).
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information.
An exemption under section s.36(1) of FOISA also applies to some of the information you have requested. Section 36(1) of FOISA (confidentiality in legal proceedings) applies to legal advice and disclosure would breach legal professional privilege. This applies to two documents found in our searches.
The reasons why these exemptions apply is explained in the Annex to this letter.
The documents we are releasing in relation to this part of your request are numbered as follows:
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2. Any external communications with stakeholders, including:
- Local authorities
- Business groups
- Scotland’s Towns Partnership
- Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
Attached to this letter is a number of documents that we have identified in relation to your request(s).
This includes communication with individuals from ‘Business Improvement Districts Scotland’ and ‘Scotland’s Towns Partnership’.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information
An exemption under section 30(b)(ii) of FOISA (free and frank exchange of views) has also been applied to one document.
The reasons why these exemptions apply is explained in the Annex to this letter.
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for in relation to communications with local authorities, business groups or the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
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3. Policy papers, impact assessments, or consultations carried out before the policy change.
Attached to this letter is a number of documents that we have identified in relation to your request(s).
Policy papers have been included in the documents noted above in relation to parts 1 and 2 of your request.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why these exemptions apply is explained in the Annex to this letter.
The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for regarding impact assessments or consultations. As previously noted, the transition of the national support service for BIDs from ‘BIDs Scotland’ to ‘Scotland’s Improvement Districts’ represented a change in approach rather than a fundamental change to the role of Business Improvement Districts, and as such there would not have been a requirement for impact assessments or consultations to be undertaken at the time.
ANNEX A – REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION
The Scottish Government does not have the information (Section 17(1)
The Scottish Government does not have information including correspondence with local authorities, business groups or the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations as per part 2 of your request; or information regarding impact assessments or consultations as per part 3 of your request.
This is a formal notice under Section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
An exemption applies, subject to the public interest test Section 30(b)(ii)
An exemption under section 30(b)(ii) of FOISA (free and frank exchange of views) applies to some of the information requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation. This exemption recognises the need for officials to have a private space within which to discuss issues and options with external stakeholders before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption.
An exemption applies, subject to the public interest test (Section 38(1)(b)
An exemption under Section 38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to all of the information you have requested within the attached documents. This exemption has been applied in order to protect the personal information of officials.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption.
An exemption applies, subject to the public interest test Section 36(1) An exemption under section 36(1) of FOISA (confidentiality in legal proceedings) applies to some of the information requested because it is legal advice and disclosure would breach legal professional privilege.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release as part of open and transparent government, and to inform public debate. However, this is outweighed by the strong public interest in maintaining the right to confidentiality of communications between legal advisers and clients, to ensure that Ministers and officials are able to receive legal advice in confidence, like any other public or private organisation.
About FOI
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG