Results of Business Improvement District (BID) for Discover Lanark

How to vote on the proposal for a Business Improvement District (BID) in Lanark

1. Explanation of what you will be sent

• A Ballot Paper for the Discover Lanark BID ballot. The rateable address (relevant property) to which this ballot applies is stated on the ballot paper. Some voters will be receiving more than one envelope/ballot paper as they are registered as a voter for more than one property.
• Return envelope - a pre-paid envelope in which to return the ballot paper to the Returning Officer.
• BID Business Plan which has been provided by Discover Lanark Business Improvement District Board of Directors, as the BID proposer and gives further information on the BID proposals for you to consider. Discover Lanark Business Improvement District Board of Directors proposes a number of projects aimed at improving the business environment within the BID area. It is up to each person entitled to vote to decide if they are in favour of the BID proposals or not.

2. Voting

The person entitled to vote should put a cross (X) in the box of their choice. “Yes” to vote in favour of the proposed BID or “No” to vote against the proposed BID. The voter must then sign the ballot paper, write their name in block capitals and include their position in the company or partnership.

The ballot will be conducted entirely by post. Return the completed ballot paper in the enclosed pre-paid envelope. To be counted the ballot paper must be received by the Returning Officer no later than 5pm on Thursday 29 February 2024.  Ballot papers should be returned as soon as possible to avoid postal delays. All votes cast will be kept secret.

3. Appointing someone else to vote (ie a proxy)

Persons entitled to vote in the BID ballot may appoint someone else to vote on their behalf (eg if you are going to be away at the time of the ballot). If you wish to appoint a proxy please contact the Returning Officer, 21 Beckford Street, Hamilton ML3 0BT or telephone 01698 455745. Applications to appoint a proxy must be completed and submitted to the Returning Officer no later than 5pm on Friday 19 February 2024.

A proxy appointment may be cancelled by notifying the Returning Officer no later than 5pm on Saturday 24 February 2024.

4. Lost Ballot Papers

Ballot papers will be dispatched to those who are entitled to vote by no later than Thursday 18 January 2024.  If you do not receive your ballot paper by Monday 5 February 2024, you may apply for a replacement paper by contacting the Returning Officer, 21 Beckford Street, Hamilton ML3 0BT or telephone 01698 455745. The Returning Officer will ask you to provide evidence as to your identity and is only permitted to issue a replacement for a lost ballot paper from Tuesday 20 February 2024.

5. Spoilt Ballot Papers

If you (or your proxy) spoil the ballot paper before sending it back, you can apply to the Returning Officer, 21 Beckford Street, Hamilton ML3 0BT or telephone 01698 455745 for a replacement.  Replacements for spoilt ballot papers can be issued up to 5pm on Thursday 29 February 2024. No replacement ballot papers can be issued after 5pm on that date.

6. Count of Ballot Papers

Ballot papers will be counted on Friday 1 March 2024. The result will be announced on completion of the count.

For this BID ballot to be successful the following 4 conditions must be met:-

1. the number of votes cast in favour of the BID proposal (“X”) must exceed the number of votes cast against the BID proposal (“Y”).  (For this calculation, ‘X’ is the number of relevant properties for which an entitled person votes in favour of the BID proposal and ‘Y’ is the number of relevant properties for which an entitled person votes against the BID proposal)
2. The aggregate of the rateable values of the properties in favour of the BID proposal (“A”) must exceed the aggregate of the rateable values of the properties against the BID proposal(“B”) 
3. at least 25% of the persons entitled to vote in the ballot have done so and 
4. the total of ‘A’ plus ‘B’ is equal to at least 25% of the aggregate of the rateable values of all properties

7. Rejected Ballot Papers

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

8. Declaring the result

The ballot result will declare:

• the total number of votes cast in the ballot excluding any votes given on ballot papers rejected under paragraph 7 above
• the aggregate rateable value of each relevant property in respect of which a person voted in the ballot
• the total number of votes cast in favour of the question asked in the ballot
• the total number of votes cast against the question asked in the ballot
• the aggregate rateable value of each relevant property in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the question asked and
• the aggregate rateable value of each relevant property in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted against the question asked

9. Further details of the BID Proposal

The BID arrangements and proposals are described in detail in the BID Business Plan. This will be issued to you along with your ballot paper, but, meantime, copies are available on request from the BID Proposer Antonia Pompa, BID Manager, Discover Lanark, 5 Wellgate, Lanark ML11 9DS phone 07309782060 or email antonia@discoverlanark.co.uk

For further information on the conduct of the ballot contact the Election Office, phone 01698 455745 or email elections@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

Printed and published by the Returning Officer, South Lanarkshire Council