IF it were a person, Dartmouth Business Improvement District would be put in a home, according to town councillor David Gent.

He was speaking at this month's meeting of Dartmouth Town Council where the BID came in for a tough grilling over its finances and how it is being run.

Cllr Gent said: 'If the BID was a person you would say it was accident prone and put it in a home'.

Angry town councillors want answers on where the levy money is being spent and what is happening with the leadership of the organisation since manager Phil Scoble quit last month.

Many are concerned that early mistakes – particularly the mix-up over incorrect levy bills – will not be repeated and are seeking detailed information on where the £180,000 a year generated by the BID is going.

Afterwards BID chairman Nigel Way said: 'It was a 'great shame that the detractors chose to try and denigrate the BID again. I will happily attend meetings if required but I only have a certain amount of time.'

The town council owns seven properties that are billed under the BID scheme, costing business ratepayers £1,700 a year.

At Monday's meeting in the Guildhall, which is charged £500 a year by the BID, Cllr Francis Hawke said he was 'concerned' many business owners now felt themselves to have been overcharged due to the muddle over the levy.

'It leaves a bad taste in one's mouth,' he said. 'Not everyone was in favour of it and a lot are dead against it and have said they are not going to pay it.

See this week's Dartmouth Chronicle for more on this story