I REFER to the recent plea by Mr Phil Gordon, project Director for Dorchester Business Improvement Dis-trict, for all traders to support their projects.

Does he mean all traders, or the businesses who pay the levy (currently 10 per cent of the national non-domestic rates).

Not every business pays this – only those who pay the imposed levy of 10 per cent added to their business rate and collected by the district/borough council.

Those that do not pay it include taxi and private hire car businesses operating from the kerbside and market traders and stallholders.

What really makes this undemocratic is the methods used to implement the setting up and collection of due payments by the local authority (district or borough).

For example, if you are a registered charity and own property and pay the national non-domestic rate the 10 per cent levy is payable.

The charity supports the community and pays its maintenance costs and receives no benefits from BID Now to the nub of the problem; traders, please turn up at the proposed meetings and evaluate the benefits you will gain.

Is it worth the levy of 10 per cent on your Non Domestic Business Rates?

Find out from your councillors where they stand – are they worthy of your support?

If you fail to pay the levy it is the local authority that will prosecute you, not BID. Think before you agree to pay the 10 per cent levy. Can that 10 per cent be spent by you to increase your business potential?

Colin Lucas, Dorchester