BIDs boost as UK event to be held in borough

Ballymena is to be the first NI venue to host the ATCM International BIDs Conference in September.

Delegates and speakers on Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) from around the world will converge on the Braid on September 18 for the Association of Town and City Management organised event.

Councillors gave the go ahead at their monthly meeting last Monday night for the conference to be held in the town which, their chief executive informed them, would require £3,000 match sponsorship from Council along with funding from the Department of Social Development and the Carnegie Foundation.

The funds from the three principle sponsors will be used to bring top speakers from around the world.

They were informed that the Council’s sponsorship would be recognised in all literature and PR for the event which the Mayor had been invited to open and a senior local official had been invited to address about ‘the Ballymena experience’.

In correspondence to Council on the conference, ATCM Chief Executive Martin Blackwell said he was confident it “will act as a showcase for the town and borough to boost the economy”.