Dorchester businesses urged to vote for town centre projects (From Thisisdorset)

Dorchester businesses urged to vote for town centre projects

1:45pm Wednesday 13th February 2013 in Latest

FREE wireless broadband points is one of a number of ideas being put forward to improve Dorchester town centre.

The Dorchester Business Improvement District (BID) is urging local traders to vote online on what they would like to see in its next business plan.

The BID team are preparing for a re-ballot later in the year and want to hear from businesses in the town to find out what they would like to see happen if it were to be elected for another five-year term.

A total of 20 projects have been proposed and it is up to firms in the town to tell the BID which they would like to see come to fruition.

The projects include free broadband hotspots and a fund for organisers putting on events that attract businesses to the town centre.

The votes from levy payers will feed into the BID business plan, which will be presented later in the year ahead of the vote.

Chairman of the Dorchester BID Peter Legg said: “The Dorchester BID has run a number of highly successful initiatives over the first five years and those that have been well received will continue.

“However, after a series of open evenings last year, which were designed to get confirmation of the good and drop the less useful projects, we also invited new projects.”

The 20 projects have been placed on the BID’s website at www.dorchesterdorset.co.uk and members can cast 10 votes on which should be included in the new plan before March 8.

Updates of which projects are in the top 10 will also appear on the website and be posted on Twitter through @DorchesterBID.

Project director Phil Gordon said: “It is very easy to log in and vote for the projects that you feel will either help your businesses and/or be for the greater good of the town.”

He added that for those without access to the internet a paper form can also be obtained from the BID office on 01305 257231.