MORE than 80 levy payers have told the Dartmouth Business Improvement District they want change.

They are calling on the BID to hold an extraordinary general meeting to review its existing constitution, its boundaries and its charges.

On Tuesday, a petition with 73 signatures was handed into the BID, via solicitor Owen Hill at Woollen Michelmore, calling for the BID?board to rethink its remit and responsibilities. Further names are still being collected in the town and the number of signatures has now risen to more than 80.

Petition organiser Gordon Anderson, of Alina Trade Ltd at Townstal, said the numbers showed the strength of feeling towards the BID.

'It reinforces the need for change,' he said.

The petition is calling for the BID to alter is geographical boundary to exclude businesses at Norton Park, Jaw­bones Hill, Admiral Court, Speedwell Units and Nelson Road Industrial Estate. Those who do not directly benefit from the BID's business plan should not be forced to pay the current levy charges, they say.

And they are asking that businesses with a rateable value under £5,000 should be exempt from the BID levy, as is the case in many other BID areas around the country.

Mr Anderson said he understood from legal counsel that only five per cent of levy payers were needed to call for an extraordinary general meeting to be held and the 73 signatories on the petition represented 9.8 per cent of Dartmouth levy payers.

He said this was in line with Section 303 of the Companies Act 2006, as amended by the Companies (Shareholders Rights) Regulations 2009.

'We are requesting the Dartmouth BID calls EGM as soon as possible and a vote is taken on the issues of concern,' he said.

BID?manager Alison Steere said: 'Alterations to the structure of the Dartmouth BID can only be activated via an alteration ballot and such a ballot has to be determined and undertaken by the BID board of directors. Individual members or groups of members cannot initiate an alteration ballot.

'We have already received legal advice on the basis of the proposal calling for an EGM so that the board can consider this at the next scheduled meeting.

'We would like to correct previous reports stating that Falmouth BID has previously had an EGM and altered its operating area and BID levies. This is not the case.

'Meanwhile, myself and the board will continue to focus all our energies on the delivery of the business plan and a range of important BID-funded projects.'