Go ahead for Tourism Business Improvement District for Inverness and Loch Ness

This is done by creating a Tourism Business Improvement District (T BID). The yes vote affects businesses operating within the BID area.

The new BID will become operational from 1st April 2014, when all businesses and property owners will pay a levy that goes towards improvement projects. The projects will be driven by the directors of the new Inverness and Loch Ness Tourism Business Improvement Destination (T BID) company who will be elected by local businesses.

Ballot papers for the Inverness and Loch Ness Tourism BID election were issued on Thursday, 30 January to 316 eligible non-domestic ratepayers within the geographical area of the proposed BID. Those ratepayers eligible to vote have been voting for the past six weeks.

The count was held today Friday 14 March and the ‘yes’ result declared at Glenurquhart Castle, Loch Ness by Ballot Holder, Steve Barron, Chief Executive of The Highland Council and independent scrutiniser, for the Electoral Reform Services, London.

The total number of votes cast was 152. 123 businesses voted ‘Yes’ and 29 businesses voted ‘No’.

The geographical area of the Inverness and Loch Ness T BID area covers the Highland Council Wards of Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central (excluding the area covered by the Inverness City Centre BID), Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South.

Information on the Inverness and Loch Ness T BID and its Business Plan for 2014-2019 is available on the internet at  https://www.visitinvernesslochness.com/trade/ or by emailing through https://www.visitinvernesslochness.com/trade/members-contact-form/.

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