Kingston's Business Improvement District

Kingston businesses have voted to pay higher taxes. So our town centre can be cleaner, safer and more prosperous. And they are the first in Britain to do so.

Some might say this is a miracle. I think it's a wonderful example of altruistic self-interest: we will all benefit - more profits, in a better environment.

Kingston businesses have voted to form Britain's first "business improvement district" - or BID. In our BID, town centre business ratepayers pay an extra 1% to a fund. That fund is spent on things they want - negotiated and agreed between themselves and the council.

So over the next 5 years, £4 million of local firms' cash will be spent on improving our town: cleaning it, making it safer and attracting more customers.

I served on the House of Commons' committee that brought in the new law to make this idea possible. I worked with Ministers, with representatives from retail firms, from the property sector and from the wider business community. Since the idea had worked in countries like the USA, Canada and Australia, these national organisations were enthusiasts.

So too were local businesses, when they realised a Kingston BID was in their commercial interests - whilst helping them put something back into their immediate community.

This is an exciting step forward for Kingston, and I'd like to thank everyone who's helped make this happen.