A notice of Ballot has now been given for a ballot to be held on the proposal of Discover Lanark Business Improvement District Board of Directors to renew the Business Improvement District (BID) to be known as Discover Lanark BID for Lanark town centre.

A BID is a geographically defined area, where businesses come together and agree to invest collectively in projects and services the businesses believe will improve their trading environment.

To be able to vote in the ballot you must, as of Thursday 18 January 2024, be liable for paying non-domestic rates within the geographical area of the proposed BID as outlined in the map above and also on the notice of Ballot web page. Only one person is entitled to vote for each rateable property.

The ballot will be conducted entirely by post by Paul Manning, Returning Officer for South Lanarkshire Council, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 OAA.

Ballot papers will be dispatched to those entitled to vote no later than Thursday 18 January 2024 for return no later than 5pm on Thursday 29 February 2024 (the “day of the ballot”).

The BID arrangements and proposals are described in detail in the BID Business Plan. This will be issued along with the ballot paper.

For more information on the BID proposal please email Antonia Pompa, BID Manager at Discover Lanark, 5 Wellgate, Lanark ML11 9DS Phone: 07309782060

And for more information on the ballot (eg to appoint a proxy or for a replacement ballot paper if your ballot paper is lost or spoilt) please email the Election Office, South Lanarkshire Council, 21 Beckford Street, Hamilton  ML3 OBT  Phone: 01698 455745 Email: elections@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

Under BID legislation a ballot must be held to establish whether members wish to renew the BID arrangements for a further five years or wind the BID company up. If supported to proceed to its second ballot the Discover Lanark Business Improvement District (BID) would run from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2029. The current 5-year term of the BID operation comes to an end on 31 August 2024.