WITH around a month to go until a vote on the scheme begins, the team behind the Okehampton Business Improvement District is looking to drum up support from town centre businesses.

The BID team has announced that the ballot for town businesses to vote on whether the scheme should get the go-ahead will take place during July, with the ballot closing on Wednesday, July 24.

The plan aims to increase the prospects for town centre businesses by running a number of initiatives, including afternoon car parking subsidies, a new marketing campaign for the town, subsidised advertising rates for BID businesses, and supporting the Okehampton and District Chamber of Trade's town promotions manager initiative.

The town's Chamber of Trade has decided to support the BID after the BID team pledged to ensure the town promotions manager runs for five more years, should the BID get approved.

The ongoing role, fulfilled by Lisa Wadling, will help market the town as a place to visit and create more events to draw people into the town centre.

Despite the chamber's support, the steering group has found some town traders apathetic towards the scheme. The team is keen to drum up support within the BID area.

Alam Simons, a member of the steering group, said: 'The steering group has had many informal chats with the local businesses in the town over the past 18 months.

'One of the more surprising or alarming viewpoints is disinterest, or "it'll never work" from some.

'There is energy and enthusiasm in many quarters of the business community, which is great.

'We need traders to be passionately behind this important initiative and give it their full support.

'It is they who will benefit the most.

'Doing nothing to improve footfall and trade in Okehampton is not an option. Vote yes in the ballot in July.

'Don't allow decline to creep into Okehampton.'

As well as the town manager initiative, another key part of the strategy is to subsidise afternoon car parking at the Mill Road car park, providing two hours of free parking to those spending £10 or more in a BID business.

Half the ticket price will be redeemed for those spending between £5 and £10.

Efforts will also be made to improve the online presence of Okehampton, with improved web marketing and a town website.

Kay Bickley, chair of the BID steering group said: 'As a market town, Okehampton is not alone in the economic issues that we face, with the impact of recession on consumer spending, the use of the internet by shoppers and the lack of suitable parking, to name but a few.

'The BID team has taken a strategic approach to these problems by consulting businesses fully, and has tackled these issues in partnership with our three tiers of local authority to develop a sound plan for the future.

'The plan builds on the initiatives taken by the Chamber in recent months to focus on the use of an events manager to draw consumers into the town.

'Business owners understand that without future funding this vital post will be in jeopardy. But an events manager alone will not solve our problems, which is why the BID business plan includes a wider range of measures to tackle the issues that we face, embracing the need to use the internet in promoting our businesses and work with the local authorities to tackle the parking issues.

'We have the support of the Chamber for our strategy which is excellent.

'If we secure a yes vote in the future ballot we will move forward together to improve our trading environment and secure a good future for all of our businesses in town.'

The BID would be funded by a levy on the businesses within the BID boundary — set as the town centre, the area around Okehampton Station and businesses operating on the North Road Industrial Estate under a retail planning consent.

The levy has been set at 1.75% of a business' rateable value, raising around £200,000 during its five year lifespan.

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.

The levy money would be collected by the borough council and paid into a ring-fenced BID account.