TENSIONS are growing among the Hexham business community over the future of the town’s Business Improvement District (BID).

Police officers were present as dozens of traders packed into the latest BID meeting at Hexham Golf Club on Monday night, just days after many were summoned to appear before magistrates for refusing to pay their share of the levy.

Paul Robbie, who runs a motor services business on Haugh Lane Industrial Estate, and is a leading critic of the BID, said: “We maintain there were shortcomings in the way the ballot was conducted and people are sick of being fobbed off.”

Hexham BID, the first in Northumberland, began operating in October after a six month delay due to a review of the validity of the ballot .

The £1m project is being funded via a compulsory levy, collected by the county council, from eligible companies in the defined BID area.

“The fact remains that this is costing businesses many thousands of pounds before anything is delivered on the street,” said Mr Robbie.

He said businesses opposed to the BID were now pursuing the possibility of a vote of no confidence being taken in the board, which has nine members.

“The way we see it is that we are all shareholders in a private company so we are investigating whether there is room in the BID legislation to call an extraordinary AGM and overthrow this.”

But BID manager Helen Grayshan said: “I am not a legal expert, but my understanding of the situation is that all avenues for appeal have now been exhausted.

“What we were keen to do at the meeting was give a presentation about the projects we are about to launch.

“But, because there was such a big turn-out, and people had questions and wanted to air their views, we used the time to listen and respond to those.”

“One of things I was really excited to announce, but didn’t get the chance, is that we’ve contracted a Hexham business to carry out a signage project,” Mrs Grayshan said.

Differentia, based in offices at the Queen’s Hall, will consult with businesses and use their graphic design expertise to review and explore ways to introduce new signage.

“All we can do is keep working to deliver improvements which will be of benefit to all businesses.”

Tynedale’s Neighbourhood Inspector, Pam Bridges, said officers were at the meeting to provide reassurance.

She said: “There wasn’t any kind of threat to anyone. It’s simply part of our role as neighbourhood officers to engage with groups in the community.”