Just because you’re a levy payer, it doens’t mean you have a say.
Knaresborough BID Ltd will tell you that as a levy payer you have a say in how the company is run and they are accountable to you all etc, but the truth is, unless the Directors let you become a member of the BID company you have absolutely no rights!
Only if you are allowed to become a BID company member will you be able to take part in and vote on BID company business such as at an AGM. Not a member then not allowed a say or vote.
The Knaresborough BID company Articles of Association are not fair and don’t follow best BID practice in allowing all levy payers to automatically become members of the BID company if the BID proposal is voted in.
If voted in, to become a member you’ll have to fill in an application form to be approved by the BID Board of Directors, who have absolute discretion to approve who they want. So if your face doesn’t fit, they are worried by alternative views or scrutiny, then guess what – they’ll simply deny you membership. It’s a simple but very effective way for a core group of levy paying Directors to maintain control and do what they want without risk of scrutiny, accountability or opposition.
Do you think this is fair? Surely if you are a levy payer you should automatically be given equal voting membership rights in the BID company?
Knaresborough BID Ltd have already set rules that mean you only become a member of the BID company if the Directors decide you can be. Before the BID goes to ballot you must demand that the Articles of Association are changed to automatically allow each levy payer to become a member if the proposal is voted in. If they don’t change this before ballot you are voting for these corrupt membership rules to power in the hands of the few, simple as that.