ENTHUSIASM for a chamber of commerce-led town enhancement programme in Tavistock was expressed at a meeting of West Devon Borough councillors last week when members agreed to contribute £14,000 towards set-up and revenues costs.

Despite reservations from strategies and resources committee member Cllr Ted Sherrell who felt that public money should not be spent on the BID project — which essentially focusses on businesses — members supported the financial assistance, with many saying they were 100% behind the scheme.

The aim of a BID is to implement a plan to improve trading conditions through an increase in business rates, expected to be one and a half per cent. In Tavistock this applies to around 300 businesses within the town centre area and would bring in an annual income of around £65,000.

A BID can only go ahead following consultation and a ballot in which the majority of businesses affected have to support the scheme.

One of the advantages of BID is that all businesses will have to pay the levy, including the multi-nationals as well as the small independent traders who often contribute more towards the fundraising campaigns in areas such as the Christmas lights, the committee was told.

Borough council head of finance Lisa Buckle said the draft business plan included creating a website, visitor pack and town map with links to the World Heritage Site, increasing the use of the town's car parks, enhanced floral displays and making Tavistock part of the Britain in Bloom campaign, promoting riverside walks and increasing signage.

Another element of the plan focuses on business support and lobbying, opportunities for training and collective purchasing of goods and services.

Cllr Ted Sherrell said a BID was a good idea but it involved 300 members of the business community, a great many of whom did not live in Tavistock and his job was to represent the 12,500 people who did live there.

'There is a dividing line with what a local authority should provide and this crosses it,' he said. 'It is essentially a business transaction.

'We have a duty to do everything we can to keep the streets clean and fulfil our functions to the best of our ability but this is about commercial business and I don't feel it is right that public money should be spent on it.'

Cllr Alison Clish-Green said the project should be about local residents and the businesses all working together for the benefit of everyone in the area.

Cllr Adam Bridgewater said he had seen a BID project working well in Dorchester: 'I am 100% behind it,' he said.

Other councillors said they would be helping the business community to help itself and the money would be well spent if it enabled £60,000 to be brought into Tavistock each year, with opportunities for match funding.

If the bid succeeds there will be on-going revenue costs to the borough council of £4,000.