COUNCILLORS in Oswestry have indicated they will back a second term for the town's business improvement district organisation when it comes to voting next month.

More than 300 members of Oswestry Business Improvement District (BID) will be polled in October on whether they want to continue with the not-for-profit organisation.

Adele Nightingale, from BID, appeared at the Oswestry Town Council's latest markets meeting on Monday to talk to councillors on the benefits received by levied members so far, and how it would continue if a second term was agreed until 2028.

She said: "Security has been deployed across the industrial estate and widened across other areas and has been praised by West Mercia Police.

"I want to highlight street cleaning in the town centre and how BID is working with people to target areas.

"Lighting projects are continuing, and if a second term is guaranteed then promotional material across social media will continue.

"BID lobbies for Oswestry and I sit on a number of groups to try to gain funding, but the main resource used for that is my time more than money

"Events such as the beach in Festival Square, among others, have received positive feedback and the relationship with both Oswestry Town Council and Shropshire Council, plus other stakeholder groups, is positive.

"BID has around 302 levied members who are allowed a vote in the autumn with around 30 volunteers who do not have a vote, but may wish to join further down the line.

"The result for whether a second term will be expected around November 4 and if BID is successful, a second term will begin in April 2023."

It was also confirmed that Oswestry Town Council has a number of votes, because of responsibilities such as car parks, and town clerk Arren Roberts said it will be formally on the agenda at the next full town meeting.

Councillor Duncan Kerr praised Bid’s work and Ms Nightingale in specific for her ‘dynamism’ and called it an amazing step forward.

He proposed a motion that the council support the BID en-bloc, which was supported by Cllr Paul Milner.

But chairman Cllr Rosie Radford reminded them that a full decision would be taken at a meeting in October.

Town mayor Cllr Jay Moore also thanked BID for its work and highlighted that the town council is given praise for projects organised by the company, and also backed it for a second term.