TEST Valley Borough Council has spent £50,000 in investing in a specialist consultant to support a Business Improvement District (BID).

Following a request from the Andover BID Steering Group, which the council invested in the money to secure the expert guidance from consultant CMS.

The steering group had asked the council and Secretary of State to arrange a bid ballot.

With experience in establishing many other BIDs across the country, CMS will carry out the ballot process and work with town centre businesses to progress the initiative.

Economic development and tourism portfolio holder, councillor David Drew, said: “We are pleased to back the notion of a BID for Andover and look forward to working with the BID Steering Group and CMS.

"We are committed to investing in the local economy and making Test Valley a great place to work and do business.

"If the BID goes ahead, it would be the ideal way for participating businesses to have their say and shape the way the town centre develops.”

A Business Improvement District is a designated area, such as Andover town centre, in which businesses pay a special levy based on their rateable value.

The money collected from the levy is controlled by an Andoverbased BID company, which uses it to fund events and improvements to the area in the hope of increasing footfall.

This can include core services such as additional cleaning and security or more wide-ranging projects such as recycling, business support, improved infrastructure and promotion.

Neighbouring communities such as Basingstoke and Salisbury already have BIDs in operation.

Lisa Armstrong, chair of the steering group, added: "The benefits from Andover having a Business Improvement District will enhance the already buoyant and successful business community, supporting national and independent businesses to see growth in a town which is a desirable place to do business.

"The residents and visitors will see an attractive and safe destination to both shop and reside.

"I’m excited to see the benefits come to fruition and to celebrate our successes.”

However Broadway Garage owner, Tony Hooke, has previously voiced his opposition to the scheme.

On the BID's new investment, Mr Hooke, said: "It's a huge amount of money on something that they could've done themselves.

"It's waste of money, after waste of money, after waste of money with these people.

"They haven't got a clue at turning the town around, what they need to do is sort the parking out.

"How dare they spend another £50,000 on this?

"It's money going down the drain."

He added: "The whole thing is deeply concerning, that this is Test Valley Borough Council's answer to a town that in trouble.

"We had period where we put £100,000 in for a town centre manager and I can't see any result from that.

"We've also put £20,000 into a survey for the BID and we're going to have to pay a further £50,000.

"This strikes me of a council that's panicking.

"Instead of engaging and understanding the real issues, they're looking for someone to wave a magic wand, and that wand is BID, and it won't work.

"The only way to solve the problem is to tackle the issue of parking.

"We're a market town cut off from everywhere and our customers are going to Basingstoke, Salisbury and Winchester and avoiding Andover because the parking is expensive relative to the offering."

For more information of the scheme, visit andoverbid.co.uk.