Clause 43 - Arrangements with respect to business improvement districts
Local Government Bill
3:45 pm
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold, Conservative)
I made that clear, and the Minister is being mischievous. Amendments are often moved in a probing fashion to elicit a Minister's views. We do not always have to support probing amendments 100 per cent. In this case, we broadly support the amendments, we broadly support the BIDs scheme, we recognise some significant difficulties with it and see even greater difficulties with bringing property owners into the system. As a practical way to introduce the scheme, we could bring the system in the Bill into effect, but make provision for property owners later.
Finally, what schemes are envisaged under the BIDs system? If we are not careful, we shall simply replicate what the local authority should do in any case. What is the scale and degree of the schemes covered by BIDs? We can envisage relatively small schemes costing tens of thousands of pounds—perhaps the odd million or two in some instances—but not large infrastructure projects. Perhaps one is envisaged. Will the Minister tell us? I find it easier to envisage tasks such as street cleaning, tidying up an area's appearance, clearing open spaces, planting trees, improving the environment and other such relatively small-scale projects. Will he tell me whether I am wrong?
We have had a long debate and it is worth moving on to hear what the Minister has to say. Many detailed questions surround the BIDs, not least who pays the incorporation costs, how the ballots will work and what the revocation powers of local authorities will be. We shall debate them all in due course, but here and now, on the principle of the BIDs, it will be interesting to hear what the Minister has to say.