Traders are set to vote on whether they want to continue with a town centre improvement scheme funded by them.

The Maidstone Business Improvement District (BID) enables owners of non-residential premises within a specified area to vote on whether they wish to pay an extra levy – on top of their normal rates – to fund a local organisation to provide additional services.

The idea is they go above and beyond those provided by the local council in order to improve footfall and trade in the area.

Five years ago, businesses in Maidstone town centre voted by a majority to set up One Maidstone to do just that.

But by law the mandate must be renewed by a new vote after five years.

One Maidstone is not only seeking renewal of its mandate, but wants to expand the area covered to take in some parts to the west of the River Medway, including the Crown Courts and the Lockmeadow Centre and Market building.

The existing area stretches from Session House to Knightrider Street, and from Wat Tyler Way to Fairmeadow. The levy, originally set at 1.5%, has risen over the past five years to 1.747%.

The second BID is being supported by Maidstone Council which said: "With increasing constraints on local authority budgets, a BID can be a very welcome tool to complement the work of the local authority."

Since its inception, One Maidstone has funded the monitoring of the town centre CCTV cameras, provided town centre ambassadors who patrol the streets to discourage anti-social behaviour, carried out "deep cleansing" of the centre's streets, and financed events such as a wine weekend, Easter egg hunt, bringing the Knife Angel sculpture to the town, a Christmas trail and the town's Christmas lights.

The additional levy is only charged on properties with a rateable value in excess of £15,000.

The ballot is based on one vote per building

In the last ballot in 2018, 176 businesses cast a vote and the result was 135 in favour and 41 against.

The BID scheme is also operational in Canterbury where the initiative voted for by businesses 2014 and again in 2019 for another five-year term.

Once a BID is established, all the qualifying businesses in that area are legally compelled to pay the extra levy whether they voted for it or not.

The support of Maidstone council is key because it owns 24 properties in the area, and so gets 24 votes.

The council has calculated that if the second round BID is successful, it will end up paying a levy of £23,675 to One Maidstone per year.

Overall it believes the levy would generate almost £2.5m over the course of the next five years.

The ballot will be organised by the council's elections department and will be held in June, with postal voting only.

The council has agreed to pay for the cost of the ballot, estimated at £5,000.

For the BID to pass, it must be supported both by more than 50% of those who vote by rateable value, and by more than 50% of the numerical votes cast.

A business that fails to vote is not recorded as being against the scheme.

All businesses likely to be affected should receive a notice by May 17.

The result will be declared on June 30.