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Falkirk firms have voted in their droves to reinstall a team which has backed its businesses to the tune of more than £2.2 million over the past 15 years.

Falkirk Delivers, the town’s Business Improvement District (BID), was shown great support by shop owners, the vast majority of whom were happy to vote to renew its BID status for a fourth term.

This summer, Falkirk Delivers asked member businesses to back the BID in a renewal ballot and, in return, receive further advice and marketing support tailored towards driving footfall back into the area as the town looks to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Of the 665 town centre businesses, 49.07 per cent placed a vote, with 87.4 per cent polling in its favour – an increase of 18 per cent compared to 2016’s ballot.

Falkirk Delivers is celebrating a fourth successful term as the town's Business Improvement District. Picture: David O. Gray.

Elaine Grant, Falkirk Delivers manager, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the businesses have voted to continue with the team.

“There’s been a number of BIDS that have been unsuccessful and a number in Scotland that have been successful but not as successful in terms of the numbers that we’ve had.

“We had 49 per cent turnout; the minimum we must have for it to be a successful ballot is 25 per cent.

“When we’re asking businesses to pay for services in the pandemic, that gives us a lot of hope. With the rateable value, we must have 51 per cent vote yes to stop it being heavily weighted to smaller independents or large nationals.

“If all the small businesses had voted, we wouldn’t have got it through. Based on that, we had 83 per cent of the rateable value voting yes.”

Elaine and her staff are now focusing on the future and paving a path to recovery and, ideally, prosperity for local traders.

Falkirk Delivers unveils event plan after winning ballot to begin fourth term