NICK Osbourne's article criticising the proposed Business Improvement District (BID) for Penarth paints a negative picture. In the interests of a balanced argument, I explain why many businesses in Penarth will be voting YES in early 2015.

For once, traders of Penarth have the opportunity to take control of local matters that directly concern their businesses. The proposed BID company will have the sole remit to bring real tangible benefits to all businesses in the BID area. By working together rather than alone, businesses will have a stronger voice in lobbying for improvements to the town whether this is improved parking provision, altering existing traffic flows, town centre promotion and marketing, town events to increase footfall, enhancements to the streetscape, improved town centre security and even joint purchasing of cheaper energy or rubbish disposal services. Who has time to do all this alongside running their own business you may ask? The answer is the BID company can employ professional help to manage and do the time consuming leg work. Having a person employed directly by traders for their benefit, rather than solely relying on the Council has to be a positive opportunity. Without the money raised through the BID this could never happen.

Spending on improvements to Penarth's commercial core has historically been minimal and this can only get worse over the years to come with severe budget cuts currently proposed by the Vale of Glamorgan Council. Past decisions have often disregarded the independent traders who are the lifeblood of the town. Voting YES will enable businesses to take control and yes, it will take money and yes, traders will need to make a small contribution to make it happen. This is a small price to pay to give traders a level of control, authority and influence to determine their own priorities for the town. The common commercial benefits that could be unlocked by the BID should outweigh the costs and this is confirmed in evidence from other successful BIDs where the BID levy is cost-neutral to the BID levy payers. Leaving the fate of the town and its businesses in the hands of the Vale of Glamorgan Council in what are very uncertain times is not, in my view, an option. We have to establish a means of improving matters for ourselves.

So please, let's make it happen by voting YES to the BID. By the time the opportunity comes around again if it ever does, Penarth could have lost many of its independent businesses given the difficult trading climate that we are now all facing.

Gary Soltys

Member of the BID Steering Group