Joe Murtagh, of Dartmouth Canvas Factory, Foss Street, Dartmouth, writes:

The Dartmouth Business Improvement District board is now asking the business levy payers to vote to either continue the BID or to terminate it.

A surprisingly easy choice.

When the BID plan was produced, on which we based our original vote to create the BID, it stated clearly that each year the BID would spend a total of £206,350 of our money on improving the business district.

After two years of the BID, we could now reasonably expect to see investment in the town totalling £412,700.

As BID levy payers, ask yourselves if you can see the benefits of this spend. If you can, then obviously you would want to continue the BID.

If, on the other hand, you cannot see where this money has been spent, then now is the time to vote to terminate the BID.

When the BID was first voted on there were 743 businesses that were asked to vote. Of that figure, an astonishing 73 per cent failed to cast a vote at all.

With a low turnout of this nature, it is hardly surprising the BID failed to receive the support from the business ­owners. When this is coupled with the errors and omissions that occurred, it is difficult to see how it could succeed. The chairman stated that ‘the town’s businesses appear not to want or value the BID’.

I would correct this to say that they do not appear to want this BID, with its numerous mistakes and faults, which have restricted its ability to perform.

The solution now is for every levy payer to make sure they vote this time. If the BID then has the majority supporting its continuation, then let’s move forward and make it work. If the majority wish to see it close, let us respect this choice too.

We must have a good turnout to ensure true democracy in Dartmouth.