Joe Murtagh of Foss Street Dartmouth, writes: I note with interest that, this week, the Dartmouth Business Improvement District are seeking to criminalise those business owners who have failed to pay their business levy. What is far more incredible is that the BID also seeks to criminalise those business owners who have already paid the levy charged on their businesses at the rate as laid out in the BID's original Business Plan. This document, upon which we based our voting decisions, clearly states that the levy is based on rateable value with the lowest charge coming in at £100 per annum and the second charge being £250 per annum. The BID have decided without consultation to increase these two charges by a further £50 per annum and are now threatening court action against any business that has not paid the additional £50. The BID argues that the original charge was an error and they are within their rights to amend this mistake of theirs after we had voted. Paul Reach, the previous chairman of the BID has stated to me that the BID directors and Mosaic, the agency employed to create the BID, were aware of this error prior to the voting process but felt it was too late to rectify their mistake. Effectively this meant that some of the business owners were charged a levy greater than they had voted for. BID legislation clearly states that were a BID to choose to increase its levy on the businesses at anytime within the five year period of the BID this could be grounds for a re-election ballot. Not something that the BID directors would wish now that we would be voting on the strengths of their performance to date. The BID directors have frequently stated their concerns to me that retail businesses are not well represented on the board. With an action like this is it really surprising ?