Queensferry vote yes to boosting local business

A company will now be set up with representatives of all sectors and areas of the BID, to ensure the overall £500,000 budget delivers maximum return.

Before voting was carried out over 100 one-to-one consultations with businesses were carried out with 250 questionnaires issued to businesses for their views of the town which also asked if in principal they would support a BID.

Cllr Tom Buchanan, Convener of the Economic Development Committee, said: "This is fantastic news for Queensferry and sends out a strong message to businesses in other areas of Edinburgh that BIDs help businesses to collectively enhance trading conditions. The yes vote will now help to deliver over £500,000 of additional investment over the next five years to Queensferry to be spent on projects led and managed by the business community."

Additional information:

A BID is a business led initiative which gives local organisations the power to raise funds locally to be spent locally, with the aim of improving their own trading environment. It is an investment scheme where local businesses have the opportunity to say how their money should be invested to benefit themselves, their employees, customers and clients.

There are currently eleven BIDs in Scotland.