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BID liaison spokesperson and former WABA co-chair Rachel Callender says it is crucial the town is united with one voice.
“The committee thought long and hard about this, spoke to lots of different people and took advice from other business areas before deciding this was the path to take,” Ms Callender says. “We need the collective strength of all businesses in Warkworth to work together to make a difference, not isolated precincts.”
Debate is now turning to how the BID could be funded. WABA will release the details of the funding model at a public meeting on November 24 at Bridgehouse in Warkworth.
At the Warkworth Area Liaison Group meeting this month, Glass Shape director Mark Forrest said a fair funding method had to be developed to gain the support of the industrial area.
“I’m probably the biggest ratepayer in Warkworth and I’ll get no benefit from a BID. If it is funded based on property values it’s not going to be fair at all.”
WABA member Clare Dill said there was a range of funding models to consider.
“The association will sit down with businesses to discuss what they could be charged under the BID and what benefit they would receive.”
Rodney Local Board deputy chair Steven Garner said the BID could be funded from a mixture of a fixed charge and a targeted rate on property values. All business in Warkworth would benefit from a BID, he said.
“It must be an advantage for industrial business to speak with one voice on issues, rather than speak as individuals,” Mr Garner said.
The Board’s Transport, Planning and Infrastructure Committee allocated $23,500 to WABA at their meeting this month.
According to the report in the meeting agenda, the funds would cover refining the data base of businesses eligible to vote, preparing a programme for how the BID rates would be spent, developing a communications plan and implementation schedule, holding community workshops and the cost of holding the ballot.
BID partnership advisor Steven Branca presented the item to the Board and said WABA’s progress was “very encouraging”.
“They are very positive and I would almost say they are working too hard.”
The vote on the BID will be held in March next year.
