Councillors endorse Inverness BID annual report
A report on the work of Inverness City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) for the period April 2023 to March 2025 has been endorsed by Members of The Highland Council’s City of Inverness Area Committee.
Councillors welcomed the ongoing development of partnership working by Inverness BID with The Highland Council and other organisations such as the Police on seven key projects including the:
- Coach Friendly Project.
- City Summer Floral Displays.
- Gull Management.
- Gift Card, Events and Marketing.
- Inverness Community Safety Partnership and Safe Inverness.
- Operation Respect and the BID Security Task Team; and
- Smart Scape (high-pressure cold-water cleaning of key areas in the city centre).
BID has been successful in making applications to the Inverness Common Good Fund for 6 of the key projects totalling £132,615 awards made by the Common Good Fund for 2024/25. With additional funding of £52,666 from Inverness BID the total joint investment in Inverness BID projects is £185,461 for the year 2024/25.
Leader of Inverness and Area Councillor Ian Brown said: “The Highland Council continues to be supportive of Inverness BID as it continues to deliver its fourth successive 5-year term Business Plan which will run till the end of March 2028.”
He added: “The Council continues to recognise and commend what Inverness BID can achieve through effective partnership. The work of Inverness BID is also appreciated by visitors to the city who describe Inverness as ‘clean and friendly’ as highlighted in a visitor survey undertaken by Inverness BID.”
Members discussed the Inverness BID Gull Management Project and noted that unused Inverness Common Good Funding for this year will be carried forward into the next financial year.
Members also agreed that an invitation will be extended to NatureScot to a future meeting of the City of Inverness Area Committee to give a presentation on Gulls.