DOZENS of Hexham business owners who did not pay their share of a levy to the Hexham Business Improvement District were fined by magistrates last week.

Some businesses said they were not consulted on the BID, which was introduced in September after a ballot of local companies, or will not benefit from it, and have been withdrawing payment in protest.

Northumberland County Council said that 79 businesses faced recovery action at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 20.

Court officials and 14 business owners, who turned up to defend their decision not to pay the levy, faced a stand-off of over an hour.

They were asked to come into the court separately, while they wanted to give evidence as a group.

After being allowed into the courtroom together, the business owners were asked to give evidence separately.

Gregor McArthur, of McArthur Forest Supplies, said that as an import and export business rarely dealing with the general public, the BID would not benefit businesses like his.

“It should be a privilege for Hexham to have businesses, not a privilege for a business to locate in Hexham,” he said.

Magistrates issued liability orders against the first two businesses to give evidence and ordered them to pay costs, prompting some of the remaining group to walk out in protest.

Mark Ridley, of Northumberland Joinery, said: “I walked out because it’s a waste of my time. I am a law-abiding citizen who is being treated like a criminal.

“We received nothing through the post and didn’t get to vote. It wasn’t until the bill came through that we knew anything about it.”

Businesses, including those who did not answer their summons, were issued with a liability order, costs of £100 and fined £45. They also incurred court costs of £40.

The liability order gives the council powers to pass the debt on to appointed debt recovery agents if the original levy and court costs are not paid within 14 days.

Paul Robbie, of Paul Robbie Motor Services, said: “I have got no contract with Hexham BID or Northumberland County Council.

“If they want to take recovery action then we will just have to wait and see. I’m not planning on going to prison for it, but I am hoping that the county council won’t go that far with a business owner who, for 17 years, has contributed to the local area and employed local people.

“Hexham is the very first BID to have encapsulated the whole area; everywhere else has singled places out and left out areas such as industrial estates.

“People feel it is a replacement for cutbacks that have been made by the council.”

A spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council said that 60 accounts remained unpaid.

She added: “Eighty nine per cent of the annual levy has now been paid. This has provided over £102,000 directly to Hexham BID to invest in the town.”