Andover councillor 'resigns' during court outburst

Kevin Farrer said Business Improvement Districts were a "cancer against retail businesses"

A councillor who was prosecuted by his own authority for refusing to pay a business levy has vowed to resign during an angry outburst in court.

Kevin Farrer told a judge he could not afford the £865 fee for the newly-formed Business Improvement District (BID) in Andover.

Mr Farrer said the BID was "unfair, unjust and snuck in".

The judge, sitting at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court, granted liability orders against 26 firms.

Mr Farrar said Andover High Street is "on its knees"

The BID, created to support town centre shops, launched in April after being backed by a poll of business owners.

Furniture seller Mr Farrer, a member of Test Valley Borough Council, told the court the authority had cast votes on behalf of 13 car parks in order to achieve a three-vote majority in favour.

He told the court: "Andover town centre is on its knees. I can't afford it.

"Ninety-three per cent of people in Andover say this was unjust and unfair."

BID manager Steve Godwin said the company would spend £1m to support businesses

Judge Timothy Pattinson heard complaints from four other Andover traders before granting the orders to the council, which collects the BID levies.

Mr Farrer then left the court shouting: "I just resigned. I can't work with hypocrisy. That's another closed shop."

Afterwards the Andover Alliance party member said he would continue to refuse to pay, despite being warned by the judge that he could be jailed.

"BIDs across the country are a cancer against retail businesses," he said.

"Why would you enforce a tax on an already-struggling high street?"

Andover BID manager Steve Godwin said the company would collect £1m in levies over five years to be spent on projects including fairs, free wi-fi for shoppers and a radio security system.

He said: "The BID continues to work positively with the majority of Andover businesses."

The council has been approached for comment.