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A group of Leatherhead businesses decided to investigate whether Leatherhead could have a BID, including speaking to other towns with successful BIDs. They formed an informal Steering Group which was successful in getting a grant from MVDC to commission a feasibility study into creating a Leatherhead BID.

The BID Steering Group applied for funding from Mole Valley District Council to commission a feasibility study to investigate whether a BID would be viable for Leatherhead. This feasibility study is available in the document page of this website as well as on Mole Valley's website within their Cabinet papers. The report recommended a BID would be viable for Leatherhead.

The BID Steering Group decided that, based on the feasibility study, they should progress to the next stage. They then formed a Shadow Board of Directors, creating a not-for-profit Limited Company by Guarantee and applying for a BID development loan from Mole Valley District Council. This application was successful and the Council approved both the loan and their support for a Leatherhead BID. The loan would only have to be repaid if the BID ballot was successful.

BIDs are now very commonplace across the UK with over 330 operating in towns, business parks and tourist areas. All BIDs are covered by strict Government legislation. In England and Wales the Primary legislation is the Local Government Act 2003, Part 4 and Regulations and the Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004. The creation of, and subsequent operation, of BIDs falls under this legislation. The Leatherhead BID Shadow Board has taken specialist advice to ensure they have adhered to all the legislative requirements.

The key date for the creation of any BID is the ballot date, which is the closing date of the BID ballot, for Leatherhead this is Monday 1st December 2025 at 5:00pm. The notification of a BID ballot must be made to the eligible businesses identified in the BID levy area and posted out by Monday 20th October 2025. The Ballot voting papers must be posted out by Monday 3rd November 2025. The BID Business Plan / Proposal Document must be available for businesses within the levy area to review by 20th October 2025. This can be both physical i.e. a printed version and also online in a website. The final BID business plan is under development and will be posted on this website as soon as available.

For a BID ballot to be successful, it must meet the dual majority requirement: 1. Majority by number i.e. more than 50% of the businesses that vote must vote in favour. 2. Majority by rateable value, those “yes” votes must also represent more than 50% of the total rateable value of the hereditaments (business properties) that voted. Both conditions must be satisfied. Voter Eligibility: Only businesses within the defined BID area and liable for the levy are entitled to vote. Each hereditament (premises) normally gets one vote (even if part of the same business chain).

The Business BID area was decided by the Shadow Board and approved by the Local Authority. From this the Local Authority produce a list of businesses that are eligible to vote under the terms and conditions proposed by the BID. In Leatherhead, the BID Shadow Board decided to exempt micro businesses with a rateable value of under £8,000 and exempt charities and not-for-profit businesses that received both locally granted business rates relief and have a rateable value of under £70,000. These premises will not receive ballot papers, vote in the ballot or pay a BID levy.

If inside the ballot area and eligible to vote you will receive a notification of the ballot on or after 20th October. Following this you will receive ballot papers on or after 3rd November. The ballot is postal and you must post back your completed ballot paper or hand deliver to Pippbrook Dorking to be received no later than 1st December at 5:00pm. 

If you believe you are within the BID levy area and have not received either a ballot notification or ballot papers, you should contact Mole Valley District Council as soon as possible. Their email is economicdevelopment@molevalley.gov.uk or call 01306 885001. They can confirm whether you are within the BID levy area and if so arrange for duplicate papers to be sent out to you. Also a  representative of Leatherhead BID can be contacted at info@leatherheadbid.co.uk.

The BID ballot opens from the date of posting of the ballot papers i.e. 3rd November 2025 and closes on 1st December 2025 at 5:00pm. Ballot papers must either be posted back to the address shown on the papers in the pre-paid envelope or delivered in person to Mole Valley District Council Offices, Pippbrook, Dorking, RH4 1SJ before 5:00pm on 1st December 2025. Ballot papers delivered or received in the post after this date and time will not be counted. The ballot will be independently counted and verified on Tuesday 2nd December with the result normally announced the same day. 

After the BID ballot result is announced, there is a 28-day standstill period during which any eligible voter may appeal to the Secretary of State if they believe there has been an irregularity that could have affected the outcome. In addition, the local authority has 14 days from the date of the ballot result to exercise its statutory veto if it considers the BID to conflict with local policy or financial priorities. If no veto is exercised and no successful appeal is made within this period, the BID arrangements are confirmed and can formally come into effect.