Okehampton is one step closer to setting up a business improvement district (BID) in the town centre with a final ballot planned for July 2024.

Plans suggest that the ballot will take place on July 18 when businesses within the proposed BID area will vote on whether or not to approve of the BID proposal.

If approved, the BID is set to commence on July 18, 2025 at the latest as BID regulations stress that it must be open within a year of the ballot.

A BID is a defined geographical area in a town’s business district which, through an additional levy, can be used to fund improvements in the area.