SHOPKEEPERS have hit back at comments that they should 'get off their backsides' and do something for themselves occasionally.

Cllr Roger Chilcott, who is the town council's representative on the Dartmouth Busi­ness improvement Dist­rict, made the remark during a debate over whether the town council should help pay for taking down the new Christmas lights in the town.

But Caroline Drew, who runs a gallery in Foss Street, said she found it offensive that Cllr Chilcott should denigrate the efforts many traders were making to further the interests of the town.

'I am at a loss to know how an elected member of a body whose role it is to serve the town can be so deluded as to think that insults and inaccuracies are going to foster good relations between the council and the people of Dartmouth,' she said.

She said shopkeepers in Foss Street, Union Street and Anzac Street were responsible for putting up their own Christmas lights and other businesses sponsored events and festivals in the town. And she said it was 'absurd' that the BID did not consider budgeting for lights as part of its marketing strategy.

'Spending money on improving the look of the town is all part of advertising the place, ' she said. 'Why do certain BID team members have only a narrow set of ideas for how to market our town?

'Instead of becoming defensive and resorting to insults, it would be helpful if both the council and the BID could work out imaginative ways to spend the funds to which business people contribute.'

Wendy Jones, who runs the Dartmouth Launderette, also urged town councillors to 'get of their backsides' to help the town.

'If he [Cllr Chilcott] had bothered to look around the town at Christmas, he would have noticed that many shops had put up their own lights in an effort to brighten the town,' he said.

Cllr Chilcott said he had not intended his comments to offend any shopkeepers but believed all members of the community had a responsibility to engage in community life and make it work.

'I am pleased it has engendered some debate about what it means to engage within ones community – social or business – to make some sort of contribution,' he said.

'My response in council was not to denigrate the efforts of those in Foss Street, who I consider to do a wonderful job, particularly in their efforts to work together to create something positive.

'Whether I am qualified or not to make a comment that has to be viewed and taken on its merits.

'But I have built a successful one-man private practitioner's practice in the town over 11 years and on occasion worked 11 hours a day, Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays as well when needed.

'I've also in my working life have spent over 35 years in front line in customer care as part of corporations and certainly up until I retired when I sold my business. So I do feel I have some basis of understanding of what it means to contribute and make a business work.

'As far as engagement is concerned, my belief, or definition of a progressive community or society is that every member should be encouraged to engage and make some contribution, whether in a community or business sense.

'I am a town councillor and sit on the BID board and have committed myself to their various undertakings and don't undertake these lightly.

'I have always attempted to see every project through to its conclusion.'

He added: 'I would never ask anyone to do something that I myself wasn't willing to attempt.'