This is why you should keep an eye out for a blue ballot paper if you’re a business in Leeds city centre

LeedsBID is today asking businesses to endorse its plans to invest £14.2m back into the city centre.

The organisation launched its 2020-2025 business plan last month at the Leeds City Varieties, detailing its plans, projects and initiatives.

Businesses are being issued with blue ballot papers and are being encouraged by LeedsBID to endorse a second term of activity by voting yes.

Andrew Cooper, chief executive of LeedsBID, said: “With one of our main themes for the 2020 - 2025 term being Collaboration, we want to take the opportunity to thank our valued levy paying businesses and key city partners who have come together to help us deliver highly beneficial work for Leeds.

“LeedsBID is making a real difference, resulting in visible improvements to Leeds city centre and over the next five years, we are committed to continuing to develop our projects and initiatives.

“We are asking businesses to positively endorse our Business Plan, The Next Chapter 2020-2025 by voting to continue this investment into Leeds as we carry on transforming this city together.”

The renewal vote gives businesses located in LS1 and LS2 from all sectors across the city centre the opportunity to support the work of LeedsBID.

The difference between the first business plan and the new one is that the BID has greater clarity as to what businesses want to see from the organisation, according to Mr Cooper. He said 75 per cent of the plan was going to be a continuation of the work it was already doing.

“The key difference for me is the 25 per cent of our business plan, which is totally new and innovative,” Mr Cooper added.

LeedsBID was established in April 2015. It is a business-led, not for profit organisation, which represents 1,000 companies and organisations in the city centre. Leeds was the 200th BID in the UK after it was passed for its first term in 2015.

Blue ballot papers for the second term are being issued to levy payers by post today and are expected to arrive from October 11 onwards.

The voting period will run from October 10 to November 7. The results will be announced on November 8.