BASINGSTOKE Together – the name of the Basingstoke Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) – will be writing to businesses in the BID area next week to advise them that the ballot papers will be sent out soon.

The BID which will be business-owned and led, will only come into being if there is a successful yes vote in November.

When the BID is set up, funds raised through the businesses in the area will be used to promote Basingstoke town centre, Laurence Martin, chairman of the Basingstoke Together BID Steering Committee, said: “This is an exciting time for the businesses in Basingstoke town centre to be collaborating and investing to improve the area.

“Without focused business input, any attempts to change the town centre may not achieve the desired outcome. By setting up a BID we hope that all local enterprises will want to engage and work together to improve on the facilities we already enjoy in the town centre.”

Basingstoke Together, will aim to achieve four main objectives – promoting Basingstoke, providing better support to enterprises to improve business and assist with cost-saving, create a better place for the workers and visitors to Basingstoke to enjoy, and to provide a stronger voice for businesses on important issues that will affect the town centre.

The voting forms will be posted to all eligible businesses at the beginning of October, and in the meantime an event will be held at Proteus Creation Space, in Council Road, on October 8 to provide more information.

To book a place visit basingstoketogether.co.uk.