Planningetc(SCOTLAND)ACT2006

PLANNINGetc(SCOTLAND)ACT2006

BUSINESSIMPROVEMENTDISTRICTS(SCOTLAND)REGULATIONS 2007

NOTICEOFBALLOT

PROPOSEDRENEWALOF THEBUSINESSIMPROVEMENTDISTRICTFORINVERNESS

ThisistogivenoticethataballotistobeheldontheproposaloftheInvernessBIDLtd Board of DirectorstorenewtheBusinessImprovementDistrict(BID)forthe Inverness City Centrefor a further 5 year period from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023.

TheballotwillbeconductedentirelybypostonbehalfofSteve Barron,Ballot Holder,The Highland Council,bytheIndependent Scrutineer,ElectoralReform Services(ERS)of33 ClarendonRoad, LondonN80NW.

Ballot paperswillbesentnolaterthanThursday8 February 2018to thoseeligible to vote,forreturnto ERSbynolaterthan5pmonThursday22 March 2018(the“dayoftheballot”).

Different coloured ballot papers will be issued for the OWNERS and the OCCUPIERS of properties.

All OWNERS of properties will receive a PEACH coloured ballot Paper displaying all the properties which they own

All OCCUPIERS of properties will receive a LILAC coloured ballot paper displaying all the properties which they occupy.

All OWNER/OCCUPIERS of properties will receive both a PEACH coloured ballot Paper displaying all the properties which they own and LILAC coloured ballot paper displaying all the properties which they occupy.

WhocanVoteintheBIDBallot?

Personseligibletovoteintheballotwillbethosewho,asatThursday18January2018,weretheeligible non-domesticratepayerswithinthegeographicalareaoftheproposedBID, as follows:-

•Academy Street
•Academy Street Arcade
•Bank Lane
•Bank Street
•Baron Taylor’s Street
•Bridge Street
•Castle Street
•Castle Wynd
•Church Lane
•Church Street
•Drummond Street
•Eastgate
•EastgateShopping Centre / •Falcon Square
•Falconer Building
•Fraser Street
•High Street
•Inglis Street
•Lombard Street
•Manse Place
•Margaret Street
•Market Brae
•Market Close
•Market Hall
•Millburn Road
•Post Office Avenue / •Queensgate
•Queensgate Arcade
•Railway Terrace
•Raining Stairs
•Rose Street
•School Lane
•Station Square
•Stephen’s Street
•Stephen’s Brae
•Strother’s Lane
•Union Street
•Victorian Market

AppointmentofProxy

PersonseligibletovoteintheBIDballotmayappointsomeoneelsetovoteontheirbehalf(for example,ifyouaregoingtobeawayatthetimeoftheballot).Applicationstoappointaproxy mustbesubmittedtoElectoralReformServicesattheaboveaddressnolaterthan5pmon Monday12 March2018.

An applicationfortheappointmentofa proxymustbemadeinwriting andmust:

(a) statethefullnameandaddressofthepersonwhomthepersonentitledtovote(theapplicant)wishes toappointasaproxy:

(b) statetheaddressoftheapplicant’spropertyorproperties;

(c) besignedbytheapplicant;and

(d)containastatementbytheapplicantthattheproxysonamedhasbeenconsultedandis capableandwillingtobeappointed.

LostBallotPapers

BallotpaperswillbesenttothosewhoareeligibletovotebynolaterthanThursday 8 February 2018.Ifyou(oryourproxyifyouappointone)havenot receivedyourballotpaperbyTuesday13 March2018youmayapplytoElectoralReformServices(addressbelow),forareplacementpaper, providingevidence astoyour identity.

SpoiltBallotPapers

Ifyouinadvertentlyspoilyourballotpaperinsuchamannerthatitcannotbeconvenientlyused asaballotpaper, areplacementcanbeissuedonreturnofthespoiltballotpaper. Replacements forspoiltballotpaperscanbeissuedupto5pm onThursday 22 March 2018(thedayoftheballot).

CountofBallotPapers

BallotpaperswillbecountedonFriday23 March 2018andtheresult willbeannouncedby 2.30pm thesameday.

ForaBIDballottobesuccessfulitwillhavetomeettwotests. Firstly,asimple majorityofvotescastandsecondly,thosevotescastinfavourmustrepresenta majorityby rateablevalueofthepropertiesofthosevoting.

FurtherInformation

TheBIDarrangementsandproposalswill bedescribedindetailintheBIDBusinessPlan.Thiswill beissuedtoyouwiththeballotpaper,but,meantime,copies will be available onrequestfromthe BIDProposer(Inverness BIDLtd,17 Queensgate, Inverness, IV1 1DF by Email: or Tel: 01463 714 550.)

ForfurtherinformationontheballotcontactElectoralReformServicesat33ClarendonRoad, LONDON,N8 0NW;tel.no.020 8889 9203.

AcopyofthisNoticehasbeensent totheScottish Ministers.

Steve Barron, Ballot Holder

The Highland Council, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX

25 January 2018