On reading your item regarding BID for Helston I would appeal to all small businesses to be very careful in agreeing to this additional tax. I did not agree to the BID in St Austell but unfortunately the majority of small businesses did. I now have to pay over £500 per annum, payable to Cornwall Council.

Before any business agrees they should consider the implications. The annual levy can be increased yearly, small businesses pay excessive business rates, they do not need further increased taxation. 

The money collected would pay for a BID manager and additional overheads. Why not spend the money on promoting your individual business, you know your market far better than any BID manager, you work hard with long hours, why pay for a marketing tool when you know your customer needs? 

You have quoted one per cent to two per extra on the business rates. The extra charge I pay, for BID in St Austell, is four per cent extra on the business rates.

Consider why Helston would need an additional manager, there is already a town council and town manager in situ, why would another manager be needed who would be an extra financial burden on the already heavily taxed small businesses in the town? What could another manager contribute? 

The existing town manager has not encouraged any quantity of footfall or interest in the town. Mrs Radford-Gaby states “we hope to educate all the business owners in the town.” Instead of talking down to the business sector perhaps they should be promoting the town in a positive light and not be insulting the very hard working, intelligent back bone of the town. 

Why should the business community be held to ransom to pay for improvements to benefit the area’s economy? Why do we pay business rates?

The BID levy is just another form of tax, payable to Cornwall Council, which you will be forced to pay if the majority of businesses vote for it. The levy can be increased any year, also late payments attract fines and penalties – there is no appeal process against this levy, once in you are committed for five years.

My own experience of BID in St Austell, after being forced to pay the levy, is a general reduction in trade throughout the town. Do not be coerced into paying extra rates to a wasteful and inefficient administration.

Think long and hard about the extra tax voting yes would levy. 

B Cowell 
Helston