This statement is in response to a reader’s letter that appeared in the Sheffield Star on Friday 30 June 2023.
The following points clarify the responsibilities of Sheffield BID and the role that the BID levy has on tackling graffiti in the city centre.
- The BID levy is not a charge for services. It is a legal charge to support a step change in the local economy through a set of diverse activities which drive footfall, dwell time and spend. We deliver additional events and projects that support our members’ ambitions for a vibrant trading environment.
- The BID levy is paid only by those occupiers in premises with a rateable value over £40k. Of the 3,400+ rateable hereditaments in Sheffield city centre, 13% are liable for the BID levy.
- With regards to graffiti, Sheffield City Council is responsible for the public realm. For commercial premises, it is the building owner or tenant.
- To those businesses that pay the BID levy, we offer a graffiti removal service through our Clean Team project. This is an added-value benefit to help levy payers deal with graffiti vandalism. The service is discretionary (subject to resources), and we expect businesses to put discouraging measures in place to deter recurrent tagging.
- It is not intended that Sheffield BID takes responsibility for the graffiti issue in the city centre. The BID has finite resources. We focus our efforts working in partnership, calling for more prevention measures, enforcement, and restorative justice.
- Sheffield City Council is a BID levy payer (with a temporarily higher – but capped – contribution through its acquisition of several empty premises for redevelopment).
- The Council is also a major beneficiary of BID funding which adds a significant return on investment to the public purse.
