WHO pays the levy and how it is being spent are among the questions that will be put to an open meeting of the Dartmouth Business Improvement District on Thursday next week.

Business owners will have the chance to raise concerns in the first Question Time-style debate to be held since the formation of the BID some 12 months ago.

A panel of BID directors, chaired independently by Foss Street trader Joe Murtagh, will take questions during the meeting in the Clifton Room of the Guildhall from 7pm.

Mr Murtagh, a former chairman of the town's chamber of trade, said it was a chance for levy payers to be heard and for BID representatives to answer questions in full and be understood. He said: 'I volunteered to the chair the meeting because I am not a BID director or an associate director but I care about Dartmouth and would love the BID to succeed.'

The meeting has been oganised by new BID director Caroline Drew, who believes that this will achieve greater openness and transparency in the way the BID operates.

Where possible, levy payers who want to raise questions at the BID meeting are asked to submit them in advance to allow for all the correct information to be gathered beforehand.

But there will still be an opportunity for questions from the floor on the evening.

Questions should be sent to Caroline Drew at Plugprints in Foss Street or email [email protected]">[email protected] or to Joe Murtagh at The Canvas Factory in Foss Street, or email [email protected]">[email protected].

Meanwhile, BID chairman Nigel Way has invited Chronicle reporter Karen Perrow and deputy editor Stuart Nuttall to a meeting of the BID board. He wants to work closer with the paper and explore ways of moving forward while achieving the aims of the BID in a more open fashion.

The Chronicle has said it is happy to work alongside the BID while maintaining its independence and balance of fair and honest reporting.