Consultation and engagement

Ballot for Liverpool Culture and Commerce Business Improvement District 2026-2031

Start date: 26th February 2026
End date: 5pm on 26th March 2026, the day of the ballot

What are we balloting on?

At the request of the Liverpool Business Improvement District Company, Liverpool City Council is holding a ballot of certain ratepayers in the Commercial District, Waterfront and Cultural Quarter areas seeking their approval for a Business Improvement District ('BID') for those areas which would place an obligation on them to pay a BID levy which would be passed to the BID company.

The current BID for the areas expires on 31st May 2026. If approved in the ballot, the new BID will cover a slightly larger area and have an amended levy. The levy would continue to only be payable in respect of premises with a rateable value of £45,000 or more. Further details of the proposal and ballot are available in the documents below.

View the BID proposal (liverpoolbidcompany.com)

How to vote

The ballot will be taken entirely by post with votes to be returned by 5pm.on the day of the ballot, Thursday 26th March 2026, and is being carried out by Civica Election Services (CES) who will send ballot papers to proposed levy payers.

The completed ballot should be returned to CES at the address provided by them. The result of the ballot will be announced as soon as possible after the close of the ballot at 5pm on 26th March 2026. 

What happens to my views?

The result of the ballot will be binding. The amended levy will come into force provided a majority of voters who returned their ballot vote 'yes' and the total rateable value of their levied premises exceed the total rateable value of the relevant premises of voters who vote 'no'. 

What happens next?

Eligible voters will be sent their ballot papers in the week commencing 23rd February 2026.

If the amended levy is approved at ballot then it will come into effect on 1st June 2026 or 66 days after the ballot result is published, if later.

Further information

If you wish to discuss the ballot, or do not receive a notice or ballot paper for your eligible premises, please contact roger.mann@liverpool.gov.uk. 

Further information on the proposals, visit liverpoolbidcompany.com or email victoria.doran@liverpoolbidcompany.com.