One Linlithgow’s Steering Group and Scotland’s Improvement Districts welcome the result to create a whole-town improvement district for Linlithgow.
Businesses in Linlithgow have voted to create ‘One Linlithgow’, a pioneering whole-town improvement district.
This will replace the two existing business improvement districts in the town, with promoters stating that the new organisation will lead to better pooling of resources and greater benefits for the community.
The ballot result was announced on 30th September, with 66% of businesses which took part, representing 60% of rateable value, giving their support to the initiative.
The result was welcomed by One Linlithgow’s Steering Group and Scotland’s Improvement Districts, the national agency which supports improvement districts across Scotland.
One Linlithgow will join almost forty improvement districts in operation throughout Scotland’s towns and city districts. They provide a vehicle for local businesses to work together with other public and private sector partners to improve local economies and communities
Phil Prentice, National Programme Director of Scotland’s Improvement Districts, said:
“It is great news that this ‘whole town’ improvement district pathfinder pilot has been voted in by two thirds of levy-paying businesses in Linlithgow.
Under the umbrella of One Linlithgow this will lead to the creation of a more sustainable and joined-up improvement district project, bringing together the Mill Road Industrial Estate, Stockbridge Retail Park, Town Centre and wider businesses”.
Evelyn Noble, Chair of the One Linlithgow Steering Group, said:
“First and foremost, we’re delighted to be able to keep working to secure investment in Linlithgow. The previous two Linlithgow BIDs ran many projects including the Christmas lights and CCTV systems, so it would have been very damaging to lose those, let alone everything else. Happily, we got the message out loud and clear, securing the positive votes we needed to keep it all going and to get started on some brand-new projects, too.
Joining two BID areas together and extending it to bring in the retail park, community groups and other businesses the length and breadth of Linlithgow, is pioneering and wasn’t a straightforward task. The Steering Group, outgoing BID Boards and staff have all been brilliant, and we’re delighted to have pulled it all together. Just as much as the financial investment, it’s about pooling resource and expertise with other like-minded groups to benefit the town at large, and we’re looking forward to making an even greater impact than before.”
Image: Burgh Beautiful Linlithgow
