IT COULD finally be the end of the road for a controversial scheme trying to improve business in Abingdon town centre.

Traders who are part of the Business Improvement District, known as Abingdon BID, had until the end of May to come forward to take over running it following the resignation of the project’s manager amid concerns over transparency.

A letter was sent out to scheme members, who currently contribute 1.75 per cent of their rateable income to BID, last month issuing the ultimatum.

Bryan Brown, who is currently listed as a BID director with Paul Holt, said he could not confirm anything until the pair had met with Vale of White Horse District Council but ‘as far as he was aware’ no one had stepped forward.

Mr Brown and Mr Holt decided the letter was the best course of action after more than a hundred frustrated traders signed a petition calling to be released from their financial commitment to the scheme.

Abingdon BID was intended use the ring-fenced fund from traders to improve facilities and increase footfall in the town centre.

But increasing tensions between businesses, who raised concerns over value for money and a lack of transparency over how the fund was being spent, came to a head earlier this year.

In March, the company in charge of running Abingdon BID terminated its contract and Julie Downing, who had been BID manager since June 2016, was formally listed on Companies House as having stepped down.

At the same time, interim BID advisory board chairman Mel Inness called for a financial review of the scheme by Vale of White Horse District Council.

Though this found no evidence of wrong-doing, it fuelled growing support to end the BID two years early.

In October 2015, 58 per cent of 148 businesses had voted in favour of the scheme, with the full fund for the BID predicted to total £800,000 over five years.

Speaking last month, Mr Brown said: “I think it is a great sadness that it is closing but if people don’t think it is a good thing then that is their decision and it is for levy payers to decide.”

It is now expected Vale of White Horse District Council will be asked to close the project.

The authority has not confirmed how long this would take but previously said once the consultation with traders was over there was a ‘formal process’ that would need to be undertaken.