Central Henderson businesses are in line for a timely boost following the news that the establishment of a new Business Improvement District (BID) has been endorsed by Henderson-Massey Local Board.
BIDs are areas within Auckland where local business and property owners have agreed to work together, with support from the council, to improve their business environment and attract new businesses and customers. They are funded by a targeted rate.
The move follows a successful ballot of the businesses in the Central Park area, with the BID, if approved, to represent 1777 businesses. It will now be subject to further consultation in the upcoming Emergency Budget before council finalises the targeted rate.
Critical time
Henderson-Massey Local Board Chair, Chris Carter, says that the establishment of the BID in Henderson comes at a critical time.
“Despite not knowing what the impacts of COVID-19 will be in the long-term, we know that these are set to be challenging times for businesses across the country.
“Creating the BID in this area will go some way toward providing collective opportunities for businesses in the area to survive the challenges that are already at the door.
“One of the first things that we have recommended is to reduce the level of the targeted rate, saving businesses money but still at a level to be able to provide a service to them that will hopefully bring a boost in terms of revenue and attracting new business and customers.”
Business leadership
Board member co-Lead for the Central Park Henderson Business Association Brooke Loader agrees and says that the success of this BID comes at a crucial time.
“BID-programme operating business associations will now, more than ever, provide the local business leadership required to help businesses recover from the economic shock and transition to a viable future state.
“So we are really pleased that we are able to create a new BID in this area as we all look to ways to help recover from the economic shock of COVID-19.”
Auckland Council’s Governing Body will now set the level of the targeted rate, and to receive further feedback during the emergency budget in June.
View the report in the agenda here (Item 13).
