1)         The levy rate to be paid by each hereditament or rateable premises with a rateable value of £3,000 or more will be calculated at 2% of its rateable value using the 2026 non-domestic ratings list throughout the BID’s fourth term.  The first BID levy under the fourth term will be due on 1st September 2026 with subsequent levies due each year until 31st August 2031. The Board will have the ability to apply compound inflation (a maximum of 3%) on the 2% levy each year to account for inflation (at their discretion). If you would like to know the rateable value of your premises, please refer to your rates bill or check https://www.gov.uk/find-business-rates

 

2)         Under the BID regulations, West Devon Borough Council will be responsible for collection of the levy on behalf of Tavistock BID. These arrangements have been formalised in an operating agreement that both parties have signed. The levy income will be collected in a single instalment, kept in a separate ring-fenced account and transferred to Tavistock BID on a regular basis.

 

3)         Collection of the BID levy carries the same enforcement weight as collection of the non-domestic rates as per Part 3 and Schedules 2 to 4 of the Non-Domestic Rating (collection and enforcement) (Local Lists) Regulations 1989 and the BID (England) Regulations 2004 clause 9.

 

4)         Where a hereditament is untenanted, tenanted, part-occupied or vacant and is undergoing refurbishment or being demolished and it has a rateable value on West Devon Borough Council’s ratings list, the property owner or person responsible for payment of the non-domestic rates will be entitled to vote and is obliged to pay the BID levy with no void period. Hereditaments that are let for non-commercial purposes are also liable for the levy whilst they remain listed on the non-domestic ratings list.

 

5)         Charities and non-profit making organisations will also be liable to pay the full levy; the discretionary relief that charities can apply for aligned to their non-domestic rates payment will not apply. At the discretion of the BID Board of Directors, exemptions may be given to Tavistock charities who receive both mandatory and discretionary relief of 100%.

 

6)         The BID levy will not be affected by the small business rate relief scheme and businesses who already pay service charges to landlords will not receive any discount.

 

7)         Exemptions, reliefs or discounts prescribed in the Non-Domestic Rating (Collection and Enforcement) (Local Lists) Regulations 1989 made under the Local Government Act 1988, will not apply.

 

8)         The BID levy will be calculated using the 2026 Non-Domestic Ratings list for the duration of the BID.  The exception to this will be any change of use or physical change to a property including new construction, merger, sub-division, extensions and refurbishment where the hereditament has no entry in the 2026 list but enters a subsequent ratings list during the BID term.

 

9)         The BID levy will have to be paid by a new ratepayer occupying an existing or new rateable property within the BID area up until the end of the five-year term on 31st August 2031, even if they did not vote on the business plan. Likewise, any new rateable property created during the lifetime of the BID will be obliged to pay the levy.

 

10)       The ratings list will be updated for any changes in ratepayer, appeals, additions or removals and liability will be adjusted accordingly. There will be no refunds given for retrospective years as a result of successful appeals but changes in values will be reflected by a corresponding change to the levy for the year in which notification is received and for subsequent years.

 

11)       The levy will be charged annually in advance with the ratepayer listed on the Council’s ratings list liable to pay the BID levy on the day the bill is issued, known as 'chargeable day'; no refunds are given if liability changes until the next billing cycle.

 

12)       Services provided by statutory organisations within Tavistock BID that have a correlation to the projects that the BID will deliver have been documented and can be seen here. The purpose of this is to ensure that Tavistock BID is adding value to current service provision and supporting businesses rather than replacing or duplicating existing services. An agreement in principle, subject to a successful ‘yes’ vote, has been reached with West Devon Borough Council, Tavistock Town Council and Devon and Cornwall Police that these baselines will be reviewed each year and that issues associated with local baselines will be reported through the officers within the respective Councils as appropriate and as and when they occur.