ALMOST 500 businesses could contribute more than £460,000-a-year to improve Colchester town centre if plans to launch a Business Improvement District go ahead.

Plans for the scheme were outlined to firms on Tuesday night.

As well as a drive to tackle rough sleeping, aggressive begging and the town centre’s appearance, the BID also hopes to put in place new schemes to reward office staff as an incentive to work in Colchester.

BID bosses hope the 491 businesses targeted will bring in £461,303 in the first of a five-year plan.

That sum is set to grow by about two per cent every year and by 2023, the figure will fall just short of £500,000.

But some business owners say they are still in the dark over exactly what their money will be used for.

Elaine Jiggins, who runs Caffe Sala, in Eld Lane said: “For me, a good chunk of what is being proposed in the BID are things the council should already be doing.

“You look at rough sleeping, aggressive begging and street cleaning and I believe that is what we already pay our business rates for and it’s what the PSPO was brought in for if I’m not mistaken.

“I thought, before the money would be allocated, there would be an understanding on what the baseline services would be from the council and there would be a discussion on how we could build on whatever that is.

“From what is coming through to me, it is the bigger players saying: ‘The BID is great, it’s going to work’. That’s great if it is but the smaller businesses really need to see we will get something back for the investment.”

Mrs Jiggins’ premises has a rateable value of £18,000 and according to the BID’s 1.5 per cent levy, she would be set to pay about £270-a-year.

As well as wages and utility bills, she also pays £950 in business rates per month.

The cafe owner added: “I know that breaks down to less than £10-a-week but you have to set it against pension contributions rising, business rates going up, national minimum wage going up.”

The former accountant did, however, praise the BID leaders for getting Michelle Reynolds, from Inprint, on board.

Mrs Jiggins added: “I, and a lot of businesses, do have faith Michelle will speak for the independents in the town.”

She also called for a 12 to 18-month trial period to allow firms to assess whether they are getting a return on the investment rather than being tied in for a fixed five years.

BID bosses pointed to the planned independent business fund, which would raise awareness of the town’s bespoke shops. It is likely events to raise footfall in the town would also benefit independent stores.

The owners of empty shops in the town centre will be liable to pay a new levy in an apparent bid to cut the number of empty fronts.