Notice of Ballot proposed third term for Penrith BID

Local Government Act 2003 Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004

Notice of Ballot Proposed Third Term of the Business Improvement District for Penrith

This is to give notice that a ballot is to be held on the proposal by Penrith BID for a third term of the Business Improvement District (BID) for Penrith.

The ballot will be conducted by the Independent Scrutineer, Civica Election Services of 33 Clarendon Road, London N8 0NW. Ballot Papers will be sent to those eligible to vote on Friday 26 May 2023 for return to them by no later than 5pm on Wednesday 28 June 2023 (the "day of the ballot").

Who can vote in the BID Ballot?

Persons eligible to vote in the ballot will be the non-domestic ratepayer listed on the Council’s database for each hereditament (business premise) situated in the geographical area of the proposed BID as at the date of this Notice. Each person entitled to vote in this ballot shall have one vote in respect of each hereditament occupied or (if unoccupied) owned by them in the geographical area of the proposed BID.

Appointment of a Proxy

Persons eligible to vote in the BID ballot may appoint someone else to vote on their behalf (for example, if they are going to be away at the time of the ballot). Applications to appoint a proxy must be submitted to Civica Election Services (CES) at the above address no later than 5pm on Sunday 18 June 2023. An application for the appointment of a proxy must be made in writing and:

  1. state the full name and address of the person whom the person entitled to vote (the applicant) wishes to appoint as a proxy;
  2. state the address/es of the applicant’s hereditament or hereditaments;
  3. be signed by the applicant; and
  4. contain a statement by the applicant that the proxy so named has been consulted and is capable and willing to be appointed.

A proxy appointment may be cancelled by notifying CES at the above address no later than 5pm on Friday 23 June 2023.

Lost Ballot Papers

Ballot Papers will be despatched on Friday 26 May 2023. If you have not received your ballot paper in the week after this date, please apply for a replacement ballot paper.
CES can provide a replacement request form to aid the process of requesting a replacement and providing all the necessary information.

Please email bids@cesvotes.com to request one.

You may apply to CES for a replacement paper by supplying One of the following:

  1. An email sent from a business account including a company email signature; or
  2. A letter in hard copy form along with the appropriate ‘evidence of identity’; or
  3. A scan of both the letter and the ‘evidence of identity’ attached to an email

Any email requests should be sent to bids@cesvotes.com. Hard Copy requests should be addressed to The Independent Scrutineer, Civica Election Services, The Election Centre, 33 Clarendon Road, London N8 0NW.

Hard copy requests must be signed by the Eligible Voter and evidence of the voter’s identity must be provided in the form of ONE of the following:

  1. A signed Letterhead for the appropriate company; or
  2. A signed photocopy of the National Non-Domestic Rating Bill for the hereditament; or
  3. A signed photocopy of an item of personal ID such as a Passport or Driving Licence.

Please do not send original copies of ID or Bills.

CES will issue any replacements that match the requirements detailed above, from the replacement deadline on Thursday 22 June 2023.

Spoilt Ballot Papers

If you inadvertently spoil your ballot paper in such a manner that it cannot be conveniently used as a ballot paper, please return it to CES (address overleaf). On receipt of the spoilt ballot paper, CES will issue a replacement. No replacements can be issued if the spoilt ballot paper is received by CES later than three working days before the day of the ballot.

Count of Ballot Papers

Ballot papers will be counted on Thursday 26 June 2023 and the result of the ballot will be announced shortly after. The result will be posted on Westmorland and Furness Council’s website www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

For a BID ballot to be successful there must be a majority of those voting in favour of the proposal, and those voting in favour must represent a majority of the aggregate rateable value of the hereditaments voting.

Rejected Ballot Papers

If a ballot paper is duplicated and two are returned bearing the same number or barcode both will be void and not counted. Any ballot papers that are returned unsigned, unmarked or that are void for uncertainty will also be void and not counted.

Declaring the result

The ballot result will declare:

  1. the total number of valid votes cast;
  2. the total aggregate rateable value of valid votes cast;
  3. the total number of valid votes cast in favour of the BID;
  4. the total aggregate rateable value of valid votes in favour of the BID; and
  5. if applicable, the total number of ballot papers rejected.

For the BID Ballot to be successful there must be:

  1. A majority in favour of the BID in the number of those voting; and
  2. A majority in favour of the BID in the proportion of rateable value of those voting.

Further details of the BID Proposal

If you require further information on the BID, please:

Alternatively, information on the BID is available from https://penrithbid.co.uk/

Last updated: Monday, 15 May, 2023.