Reply to MSP

This is a copy of my email to Kenneth Gibson, our local MSP, dated 19th December 2012.  Currently still awaiting reply.

I have just received a refusal from North Ayrshire Council to supply us with a list of eligible businesses included in the 280 for Largs BID. Section 13(4) of BID (Scotland) regs 2007 is quoted as prohibiting this. This is a disgraceful response, when the vice chairman of the Largs steering committee has this information, yet the rest of us are denied this.

The information in your letter from the council's BID Liason Officer, lists what should have happened between March and October 2012, but the reality was somewhat different, hence our battle for a re-ballot.

Also, I note that it now states that Largs matters circulated a 20 page business plan which accompanied the ballot  !!

Up till now we have been told the Council sent the documentation and ballot papers, so perhaps we are finally getting to the truth as to why so many of us were excluded from the ballot. 

Those with a vested interest in obtaining a 'yes' vote, ie the steering committee had control of who received ballot papers!

I informed you of allegations that 2 members of the steering committee had ballot papers with them when they tried to get owners to vote 'yes' in the final 2 days for the ballot.

How you can pre-judge the outcome of our legitimate appeal alarms me. Our honest testimony appears to count for nothing, and the cards are stacked against us, leading me to suppose that Scottish Ministers are just going through the motions with no interest in truth or justice.

What we are asking for is quite simple. Our democratic right to a fair and free vote on whether Largs Traders want BID.  Even denied access to the exact number excluded from the ballot, sufficient numbers of traders are giving testimony of the scandalous abuses in relation to the previous ballot.                     

My feeling now is that only exposure by the media will force a re-ballot.