A CONTROVERSIAL councillor and business owner has claimed he would ‘rather go to prison’ than pay into a proposed town centre improvement scheme.

Hampshire county councillor Tony Hooke has slammed proposals for a new Business Improvement District (BID), dubbing the scheme an ‘extra tax’.

The outspoken Independent, who owns Broadway Garage, has claimed he would refuse to pay into the scheme, even if he was forced to by law.

Speaking as a business owner, he told the Advertiser: “I would rather go to prison than pay Test Valley Borough Council any more money.

“I already pay around £20,000 in business rates for my three buildings and what do I get for that?

“I get nothing from Test Valley.

“They can’t even do my bins properly.”

Mr Hooke’s comments were made in response to Andover town centre manager Chris Gregory’s prediction that the current Town Centre Partnership (TCP) would ‘evolve’ into the new BID, if plans are given the go-ahead.

Mr Gregory described the change as a ‘natural evolution’ and said that the BID would be a more ‘formal’ version of the current TCP, comprising of over 90 businesses from the town centre.

Companies currently choose if they want to be a paying member of the business-led group, which aims to boost trade and footfall in Andover’s shops.

However if the BID proposals are accepted by the majority of local business owners in a referendum, then all companies based inside a ‘designated BID area’ will have to pay a ‘levy’, regardless of how they voted.

Similar systems are currently in place in neighbouring cities such as Winchester and Salisbury.

However the proposals have upset Mr Hooke, who claims he and several other business owners oppose the idea.

He said: “I’m against it because they are just taxing us more for being in the town centre.

“In fact I should be getting money back because they have taken all the free parking away from us.

“I’d much rather they just give us our parking back.”

However TVBC, who recently commissioned a viability study to look into the BID proposals, say no decision has been made on the future of a BID.

Leader Cllr Ian Carr said: “The only work undertaken to date in connection with an Andover Business Improvement District has been the feasibility study and no decisions have been made yet about whether to pursue a BID.

“In the event that a decision is taken to promote a BID, there will be ample opportunity for Cllr Hooke, and other opponents, to make their voices heard.

“However, the first part of the process is to gauge support rather than seek opposition.

“It is important to begin by listening to some of the more positive voices in Andover and not allow them to be drowned out by the negative ones.

“But, ultimately, if a BID is promoted and proceeds to a ballot, then every business affected will have a vote on the matter.

“Finally, another important aspect of any future campaign to promote a BID will be to decide the extent of the area covered.

“It may, therefore, be the case that Cllr Hooke’s premises will not be included in the BID area, so he would not be allowed to take up the benefits of such an arrangement.”

  • What do you think of the BID idea? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Email: newsdesk@andoveradvertiser.co.uk