A FUTURE Alloa BID board “must and will change”, reaffirmed a local businessman who stepped in to secure the town’s “future and survival”.

As the Advertiser reported in previous weeks, Alloa Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) is seeking a renewal with shopkeepers deciding whether the organisation will be revived for another five years.

Neil McFarlane, jeweller in the town, stepped in as chairman after the resignation of long-standing David Westland and met with more business owners last night after the Advertiser went to print.

Ahead of the meeting, he spoke of his strong belief in the organisation, which looks to enhance the town centre and ultimately bring more customers in.

Streetscape improvements, floral displays, the cleaning of chewing gum, weeds and gutters are just a few things the BID, which would rebrand under Alloa First should it be renewed, had been working on in the past decade he explained.

However, he is keen to address the issues, saying: “I know that some businesses, streets and areas feel missed out or forgotten and understandably disenfranchised with what’s gone on before.

“There is an acknowledgement that there have been real and serious issues, many of which are only now becoming evident, some of which admittedly are longer running.”

Appealing to business owners, he added: “Please be assured with the changes already in place these issues are being addressed and closely scrutinised.

“We all need to be clear what we are voting on is the future, the future being what is outlined in the Alloa First business plan, you are not voting on the BID or the town’s history, you’re voting on its future and survival.”

While he is unable to commit to the detail of what the future board would do, he said that “everyone agrees it must and will change – with much more consultation, full accountability and an openness that appeared to be lacking – the first step of which will need to be an AGM and the appointment of a new board.”

Mr McFarlane explained “numerous changes” are already in place at the BID office and continued: “I know personally I’ve had more contact from the BID staff and directors in the last three months than the previous five years – just one small indication of what should be happening as a matter of course and will be the case in the future if the BID ballot is a yes.”

Some of the directors have already stepped down and some have indicated they will not stand again, Mr McFarlane adding: “But we collectively owe a huge thanks to all of them.”

He also hopes the town will not miss out on the opportunities presented by the city deal, which the council needs to deliver with partners, including the business community.

The jeweller added: “Numerous other towns and villages in Clackmannanshire and Stirlingshire are already waving their collective flags to attract some of that money through their own groups or associations: no BID means no chance of a share of the pot, far too good an opportunity to miss!”