Bournemouth Coastal BID has secured a further £155,000 to boost its areas, which stretch from Hengistbury Head to Westbourne.
Three grants were secured including one of £50,000 which will be spent on an electric truck that includes a water tank and will be used to water plants and clean the streets.
It will also collect food waste which will be composted and distributed to families and community schemes.
A joint grant secured with the Town Centre BID of £50,000 is to be used for events that will benefit the town.
And a further £55,000 will be used to improve the street furniture, add bins and planting and make the coastal areas more attractive.
Coastal BID manager Fiona McArthur said: “These grants are straight from the Bounce Back Challenge fund, so not from local tax-payers.
“We are particularly pleased with the electric truck because it will create employment and will save our levy-payers money.
“It will be used to water flowers across our areas and it comes with a power hose that can remove graffiti and chewing gum.
“Furthermore, the truck will be used to collect waste food and coffee dregs that will be taken to a composter on top of the Sovereign Centre in Boscombe.
“The Grounded Communities charity will then distribute the compost to those who will benefit from it. Some will also be used to grow food that will be given out at the food bank.
“The other grants will fund events and also greatly improve the streets with new furniture, bins, planters and art.
“After the year of lockdowns our businesses need all the help we can provide and these grants will make our areas more attractive to locals and visitors.”
Bournemouth Coastal BID’s areas are Hengistbury Head, Tuckton, Pokesdown, Boscombe, Southbourne, East Cliff, Pier Approach, West Cliff and Westbourne.
Notes to editors:
The Coastal BID runs from Westbourne to Hengistbury Head. It is one of two BIDs voted through by Bournemouth businesses in April 2012. In this ballot, 73% of those who voted supported the creation of the BID. There are 760 eligible businesses within the Coastal BID area, with a total rateable value of £30 million.
Business Improvement Districts, (BIDs), originated in Canada in the 1980s and quickly spread to the USA.
In January 2004 the Government introduced legislation which created the legal framework for setting up BIDs in Britain. To date over 185 have been established in the UK. They have been credited with halting and reversing the decline in many towns and cities. BIDs last for three or five years. Of the 87 that have come up for renewal, 78 have been voted in for a second term, usually with an increased turnout and majority. BIDs are successful!
BIDs work on simple principles. Businesses decide what projects they wish to undertake to improve the area and their profitability. Every eligible organisation contributes a small percentage of their business rateable value (usually around 1% or 2%). From these many contributions a significant fund is built up which has the power to make a real difference.
Based on a 1.5% levy the Coastal Districts BID generates a core income of c. £466,000. Because of the power of the BID it is possible to attract additional income through voluntary contributions and match funding for key projects etc.
BIDs make places more attractive and exciting to visit, reducing costs to participating businesses, increasing footfall and putting local businesses in control of the additional services which they have funded.
For more information contact Ed Baker at Deep South Media on 07788392965