AN ORGANISATION dedicated to supporting businesses in the centre of Newport is up for renewal.

And the Argus is calling on all members of the Newport Now Business Improvement District - or BID - to get behind the push for a second term.

Since 2014 the body has been a driving force in creating and promoting events throughout the city centre, and has also carried out a massive amount of work to support the 400 or so businesses which form part of the BID.

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The BID raises £245,000 annually through levies on its members, and uses this to provide a wide range of services and projects. It was able to do this after a business plan was agreed and voted upon in November 2014.

And now, the organisation is asking for BID members to support it once again.

The time has come to develop and agree to a new business plan, allowing the BID to continue for the next five years.

Newport Now BID chairman, Zep Bellavia, said: "By the time the current BID reaches the end of its five-year term in March next year, we will have invested more than £1.2 million delivering business-led initiatives.

"These range from events that drive footfall into the city centre to a Newport-only gift card, and from our seven-days-a-week Ambassador service to providing shopfront improvement grants to levy payers.

"The board of directors, which I am fortunate enough to chair, is made up of people who either own or run businesses in the city centre and are passionate about the positive future for our city centre.

"Eligible businesses voted in favour of setting up a BID in 2014 based on a five-year business plan. Now it's time for the BID to develop a further plan for 2020-25 and put it to levy payers in a ballot during November.

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"A 'Yes' vote renews the BID for a further five years from next April and allows us to build on the start we have made.

"There is still much work to be done. Without a BID, the businesses of the city centre would lose the organisation that will do that work and lobby the powers-that-be on their behalf.

"That's why voting 'Yes' in November is so important and why we'll be campaigning hard to win a further five-year term for the BID - run for businesses by businesspeople."

If businesses involved in the BID do not vote for it to continue, it will wind down and cease from March 2020 - meaning five years of work and achievements could be lost.

A ballot will be issued later this year, where BID members can vote YES for the Newport Now BID to continue.

Over the next days we will feature some of the businesses which have benefited from the existence of the BID.