OKEHAMPTON'S businesses have rejected the town's proposed Business Improvement District by voting heavily against the scheme.

A BID is a partnership between a local authority and the local business community to develop projects and services that will benefit the trading environment within a set area. Projects would have been funded by a levy on businesses in the BID area.

For the Okehampton BID to have received the go-ahead, the ballot had to be won by at least 50% of the vote, and the rateable value majority of those voting for the scheme. This ensures the interests of both large and small businesses are taken into consideration.

In total 73 businesses cast a vote in the ballot on whether the BID scheme should get the go-ahead. Of those, only 17 voted in favour.

The total rateable value for businesses voting was £858,000 — the rateable value of businesses that voted for the scheme was £333,950, also well below the majority share needed. The result was announced last Thursday.

Chair of the BID steering group Kay Bickley was disappointed with the result, but hopeful that the BID business plan could be used to highlight the desires of town traders and guide other projects in Okehampton.

She said: 'Over the last year, the BID steering group has worked hard to consult the business community in the town. My initial reaction to the BID result is obviously one of disappointment.

'However, I do not feel that the journey has been a waste of public money. Over the last eleven years that we have been trading in Okehampton, this has been the first time that anybody has consulted a wide range of businesses to assess what they alone want for the development of the economy of the town.

'The work of the BID steering group need not be wasted. The BID business plan is a clear statement that reflects the priorities that businesses themselves have for the town. It is what they said they wanted, not what we told them that they should have.

'Each tier of local authority, the chamber of trade, local charities and the voluntary sector can now use this plan to inform their plans for short and long term economic growth within the town.'

Donald Rooke, who runs Donald's Menswear in the town centre, was one of those who voted against the scheme: 'I think it is an extra expense, a big expense, that at the moment, businesses really don't need. They need a rate cut, not an increase.

'When you look at the Tavistock BID, I don't think they have got anything for all the money ploughed into it. Hopefully now, our chamber of trade will get stronger and get more support, and go from there.

'Businesses are seeing some good action in the town at the moment. If we can attract a couple of new businesses to the town centre, I think that could make a big difference to us. It would be very good if the council can find a way to encourage that.'

One of the main elements of the BID was to ensure the chamber of trade's town promotions manager role, currently held by Lisa Wadling, is funded for the next five years. At a previous BID meeting, chamber secretary Allenton Fisher stated that the chamber could only fund the initiative for 'an absolute maximum of two more years'.

The chamber is holding a meeting for members tonight (Thursday) to discuss how it can keep the role going in future.

Chamber chair Ian Bailey said: 'We want to keep the town events manager position going, as it has proved its worth so far.

'We also want to progress the chamber of trade, and this meeting will help us decide how to move forward.

'I do not know why the BID did not get voted in. The chamber seemed very split on the issue. From what I can understand, it seems the people against the BID couldn't see the benefits it could provide as well as the things the chamber of trade is doing.

'Hopefully at our meeting we can find a way to ensure the town events manager position can stay in place for the future.'

The BID also planned to improve prospects for town centre businesses by running a number of initiatives, including free afternoon car parking for all at Mill Road car park, a new marketing campaign for the town, reduced advertising rates for BID businesses and practical workshops tailored to the needs of business owners.