ABERYSTWYTH businesses have received a ballot paper asking them to vote for the intro­duction of Business Improvement Districts in the town.

The BID aims to improve Aberystwyth as a place to work and visit, with the process led by a voluntary steering group of businesspeople from the town centre under the banner of Advancing Aberystwyth.

Advancing Aberystwyth is seeking to develop a five-year programme of improvements in the town centre by collecting a levy from all eligible businesses.

If the BID is established, there is the pote­ntial to collect just over £700,000 between 2016 and 2021 to invest in a comprehensive programme of improvements, with every effort made to match this sum with funding from other sources.

Cllr Gareth Lloyd, cabinet member with responsibility for economic and community development services, said: “Ceredigion County Council supports the development of a BID in Aberystwyth, both as a stakeholder and levy payer contributing to the levy fund.

“Having a BID company in place, with a five-year funding programme that is run by and on behalf of businesses in the town, will be a great asset.”

Cllr Lloyd added: “This is a real chance for businesses to have control over a significant sum of money that they could spend on the issues that are important to them.

“This will help to establish Aberystwyth as the first choice destination in mid Wales for retail and leisure.”

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops now or online by clicking the Digital Editions tab at the top of the page