NORTON Park chalet owner Jim Tregaskis is calling on the Government to carry out an in-depth look into Dartmouth Business Improvement District.
He has written to Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, asking for further investigation into the legalities of how the BID was set up, how the ballot was conducted, its promised levy charges and business plan.
Mr Tregaskis said: ‘I am writing to you to seek help and advice because I have six small holiday chalets the total rateable value only amounts to £6,600 but have to pay £900, £150 each, which is totally unfair, particularly when you take into account the fact that I can only get small business rate relief on one property in my name.’
Mr Tregaskis said he had met with South Hams Council officers who maintained the council had no responsibility or power to make any adjustments, but was only acting as agents to collect the levy.
‘I have gone through the complaints procedure with them some months ago and have been awaiting a decision of the Local Government Ombudsman since April,’ he said.
‘I feel that councils do have a duty of care and do have a responsibility to ratepayers.’
In addition, the levy collection was costing money, he claimed.
‘Approximately 150 levy payers were issued court summons following a number of reminders, the cost of which is being paid for by domestic ratepayers as well as non-domestic ratepayers, at a time when the council is having to make drastic cuts in services,’ he said.
‘I am not sure that you have any power to do much to rectify the appalling mess we have in Dartmouth.
‘But what you can do, and I request that you do, is to write, as you did in the case of Great Yarmouth, saying that you are uneasy about the number of businesses who were disenfranchised and recommend, that as a minimum, an alteration ballot should be undertaken regarding the increase in the amount of the levy, bearing in mind the extremely low majority who voted in favour of this BID.
‘Further to the above comments regarding the ballot, the chairman of the Dartmouth BID Nigel Way has admitted to putting up posters encouraging voters not to vote for a local councillor at the recent local elections.’
He added: ‘Your Government was returned to power on the understanding that you would support small businesses.
‘Please give us that support.’