I WOULD like to thank Chippenham BID for allowing me to attend its business breakfast, with Dr Julie Grail, a leading authority on BIDs. As expected the majority of the attendees were BID directors or staff of the BID.

In the presentation, Dr Grail stated that BIDs should be business-led and all businesses should be actively engaged with, prior to the ballot. The ballot turnout should be at least 40 per cent and a banded levy should not be used.

British BIDs Guidance notes state: ‘A levy of more than one per cent would need to be fully justified in a detailed way and presented as an exceptional case.

'It is unlikely, even in smaller locations with lower levels of rateable value, that a levy of more than two per cent would prove acceptable in any year of the BID term’.

In Chippenham, not every business was aware of the BID and that led to the turnout falling well below the 40 per cent requirement.

There was also not the stipulated retail presence on the original BID Task Group, which I feel contributed to the misconception that small businesses in Chippenham would be happy to contribute the excessive levy rate of up to 3.7 per cent of their rateable value (banded levy). In comparison, Dr Grail assisted with the Bath BID, which easily achieved both the ballot turnout requirement and operates a standard levy rate of only one per cent.

The Chippenham BID is a private limited company and therefore is not required to answer specific questions relating to its finances. The BID annual review states that the BID has spent £154,000 on marketing, PR and events.

Despite being a levy payer I am not allowed to have a breakdown of this expenditure. I know that some of the money is used to fund the BID’s PR company which provides its press releases and then we had the Christmas lights, but what else? Perhaps a director of the BID can break ranks and disclose the information?

The BID business plan states: ‘In return for your investment your business benefits from additional projects and services. The BID Company will be accountable for every £1 it receives or generates’. Action not words please.

I would like a genuine response from the directors, not a statement formulated by their PR company at levy payers’ expense.

EDWARD KIRK, Proprietor, Scholars, Market Place, Chippenham