There are many negative aspects and risks associated with establishing and operating a Destination Business Improvement District (DBID), and the businesses of Suffolk need to decide if a DBID is right for them.

The BID proposers have only presented the case to vote YES (and done a very poor job at that by the looks of things), so in the interests of true voting democracy and to help Suffolk businesses decide their vote based on information from both voting opinions, we are presenting some very strong and credible reasons to vote NO against the Explore Suffolk DBID proposal.

Voting on an extra tax without all the information needed is a big decision, so please do take the time to read the reasons why many Suffolk businesses are voting NO.

We encourage as many businesses as possible to cast their vote, so that the result, whatever it may be, is truly representative of the business community.

If you are an Explore Suffolk DBID NO voter feel free to contact us in confidence exploresuffolkbid@gmail.com to share your views or assist with our Vote NO campaign.

Visit our NO campaign Facebook page here.

*** Save the date *** On Tuesday October 10th at 6.30pm there is a public meeting to discuss the Explore Suffolk proposal. This will be hosted by All Manor of Events, Henley, Ipswich.

Key detail about the DBID proposal.

More information and the business plan is available at:

• https://locusms.com/explore-suffolk

• https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/BIDelections

Those liable are non domestic hereditments:

• With a Rateable Value of £24,500+

• Retail, hospitality and leisure hereditaments.

• Those not already paying the Felixstowe or Ipswich BIDs

Approx 436 liable properties.

Levy rate 1.82% (plus annual inflation increases).

Annual income approx £685k.

BID Proposer: Locus Management Solutions Ltd. Locus are a private company in the business of consulting, setting up, operation and management of DMOs and BIDs nationally. https://locusms.com. They have taken it upon themeslves to put forward this proposal, and will be raking in consultancy and management fees from the business levy. They’ve aready said they want £45k repaid from levy funds for the work they’ve given themselves so far getting it to a ballot no-one has asked them for!

13 reasons to Vote NO to the Explore Suffolk DBID proposal.

1. BID is an extra tax on hard working businesses we just don’t need during these times of economic strain. The proposal will take £2 million from businesses who can ill afford this stealth tax.

2. BIDs reduce financial demands on Councils at the expense of businesses. The BID body is effectively a sub-contractor delivering the BID arrangements for the Councils, who will collect this extra business rate from you under threat of court action.

3. There has been such little consultation, fanfare or publicity of the proposal, and receiving the Explore Suffolk business plan and ballot voting paperwork recently is probably the first many of heard of it. For something as important as an extra tax, is this right?

4. The Councils and BID proposers know that implementing a BID stealth tax is controversial, and with no minimum ballot turnout required they will be happy return a yes mandate, even if most of the businesses eligible to vote, do not vote for it. So every vote really does count!

5. The glossy business plan with lovely photos lacks substance when it comes to detail on projects and expenditure plans. It’s a load of hot air with veiled promises, vague spending ideas, and with no defined benefits, business model KPI’s, or a return-on-investment proposal.

6. Because the BID proposers have failed to detail projects and expenditure in the Business Plan there a lack of transparency about how the financial figures have been arrived at and what is included. For example, what is £132-145,000 for operating costs being spent on?

7. Many ‘businesses’ forced to pay will never see any benefit or value for money. Ask yourself why the following are included in a scheme to increase tourism; community centre, library, school sports ground, charity, funeral parlour, gymnastics centre.

8. Unfair levy charging. The concept of BID is that all the businesses contribute proportionally, so in this proposal levy = 1.82% x Hereditament Rateable Value. However the BID proposers have decided to cap the levy meaning the largest businesses get a discount upto 70%! How fair is this?

9. This is meant to be a proposal to increase Suffolk tourism, yet it only covers part of Suffolk, with most of South Suffolk along with its historical and cultural jewels being ignored. If a BID would really be great for Suffolk, why not include all of Suffolk?

10. Duplication of effort. The are already many organisations promoting Suffolk as a visitor destination, including the Councils, so creating another visitor brand costing £2 million from the businesses is unnecessary.

11. The BID proposers, Locus Management Solutions, do not appear to be a firm that is fit to be the BID body for such a proposal. Locus have a poor track record of running the Ipswich town centre BID, presiding over the towns devastating decline, with an absence of value for money and a lack of transparency. Can we really trust them? Many do not.

12. Unlike other BID business plans and best industry practice, this one demonstrates no firm Board of Director governance plans for the BID body, Locus, to deliver the BID arrangements.

13. Locus is a private limited company that will receive the levy money collected by the Councils, and once they have it Locus are free to spend it how they decide. Locus is not subject to the freedom of information requests, and does not need to produce detailed or audited accounts for companies house, in fact Locus doesn’t now, so are you really sure they can be trusted? Many do not think so.

These are just 13 reasons why you should consider voting NO to the Explore Suffolk BID proposal, and there are many more.

There is no clear investment case put forward by the BID proposers in their fluffy business plan, and the proposal falls short in so many ways, in addition to failing to meet best BID industry practice.

From what we can see, this BID stealth tax will take £2 million out of the pockets of Suffolk businesses at a time when they can least afford to be paying an extra tax during these tough economic times.

Vote NO to keep £2 million in the pockets of Suffolk businesses!

Important note about the ballot: If you have any questions about the BID ballot, to check if your business is included in the ballot, or if you are a voting business and have not yet received your ballot papers (new ballot papers can be sent out if lost), then contact the Ballot Holder at Ipswich Borough Council, Helen Pluck, tel: 01473 432000, email: elections@ipswich.gov.uk.