THE next public meeting inviting business people to discuss Okehampton's Business Improvement District is scheduled to take place next week.

The steering group behind the BID is inviting people from businesses in the town centre and anyone interested in the scheme to attend their open meeting on Tuesday, July 17 at the White Hart Hotel from 6pm.

The meeting will allow business people to share their ideas for what they would like to see in any BID proposal, and give the steering group a chance to report on their progress so far.

The guest speaker for the meeting is Nigel Eadie, who is involved with the successful BID in Tavistock.

The Okehampton BID Association has held two meetings to introduce the idea of developing a BID for Okehampton which would encompass both the town centre and the outskirts of town, including the town's industrial estates.

After such a scheme was discussed with businesses on the edge of town, it was decided to focus on a scheme for the town centre.

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.

It is funded by a levy on the businesses within the BID boundary.

The projects and services taken forward will be those suggested by business people in the town centre. Projects funded by BIDs in other towns include parking improvements, regional marketing campaigns, CCTV, new signage, and environmental projects.

A BID can only be formed following a consultation period and a ballot in which businesses vote on a BID proposal or business plan for the area.

The vote is open to all businesses within the proposed BID area which are eligible to pay the levy.

To ensure the interests of both large and small businesses are considered the ballot must be won by claiming at least 50% of the vote and by the rateable value majority of those voting for the BID.

If the BID was successful, the levy money would be collected by the borough council and would be paid into a ring-fenced BID account.

Anyone wanting more information can visit http://www.okehamptonbid.co.uk">www.okehamptonbid.co.uk, e-mail [email protected]">[email protected] or call the BID team on 01837 658643.