MP reaches out to BID team in face of negative survey responses
01/12/2025
The BID’s aim is to enhance the economic vitality and overall appeal of Banbury Town Centre
Banbury’s MP has asked for a meeting with the Banbury BID team to address the findings of a recent survey he conducted.
Sean Woodcock said it seemed necessary to reach out in the face of the number of negative opinions expressed and a perceived lack of impact.
The aim of the Business Improvement District – known as a BID – is to enhance the economic vitality and overall appeal of Banbury town centre. It is paid for through a levy added to the business rate bills of businesses within the BID area.
In a letter to Banbury BID Mr Woodcock said he had received responses from over 30 local businesses who are part of the scheme. 71 percent gave the BID a rating of 5 out of 10, or lower, for getting a response, with 45 percent scoring this just 1 out of 10.
Just under half or respondents gave the lowest score to the events organised by the BID and over half felt the BID wasn’t good value for money.
In his letter Mr Woodcock wrote: “There were of course some positive ratings throughout the survey. However, with the overwhelming majority citing negative opinions or expressing a lack of impact, it seemed necessary to reach out.”
In response to the letter Banbury BID Chair, Kenny Gillett told Banbury FM: “We would like to request access to the full data collected from the survey, as it is essential for us to understand the context and specifics of the feedback received.
“Additionally, we noticed that the sample size was very small, comprising less than 10 percent of levy payers. There was no clarity how the survey ensured that the data captured reflects the views of those liable to pay the BID levy, as it was accessible and accepting responses from anyone.
“Moreover, I would like to express our concern that the BID was not consulted prior to conducting this survey. This lack of communication could lead to misunderstandings about our services and the overall effectiveness of the BID. It’s also worth mentioning that when Sean won a seat, we invited him to meet to discuss these BID activity, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen due to scheduling issues and availability on his end.
“I look forward to having a meeting with Sean and discussing this further.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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