OXFORD West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran has offered to chair an annual general meeting for Abingdon BID in response to mounting anger from businesses over transparency.

A group of independent traders, who pay1.75 per cent of their rateable income into a ring-fenced fund for the business improvement district, called for the meeting, as well as a full breakdown of costs and for more communication about what their money is being spent in November.

Ms Moran said she has been trying to act as a liaison between the two groups, adding: "I think, fundamentally, this is a breakdown of communication and that both sides are coming to this with the best intentions.

"I have offered to chair an AGM and I don't think that is an unreasonable thing for levy paying businesses to ask for."

In October 2015, 58 per cent of 148 businesses voted in favour of the Abingdon BID, which promised to transform the town centre with everything from free WiFi to lobbying for a 24/7 multi-storey car park.

The full fund is predicted to total £800,000 over five years and is meant to be used to run the BID projects but business owners have said they don't think they are getting their money's worth.

Frustrations boiled over at a meeting in June, which has led those behind Abingdon BID to refuse calls for a annual general meeting.

Julie Downing, manager of Abingdon BID, said they had not received a formal offer from Ms Moran to chair an annual general meeting.

Speaking previously of the June meeting, she said: "Many people are put off attending an AGM because of its formal nature, the ‘Meet the board’ meeting held on the June 6, 2017 was deliberately not planned as a structured meeting, it was a chance for the businesses to meet the board and talk through concerns, ideas and for us to share future plans in an informal, relaxed, open atmosphere.

"From the start, we soon realised this was not going to happen as a small group of businesses had already decided that it was their opportunity to vent about everything that they perceive to be wrong with the BID."

She stressed an annual general meeting was not a legal requirement and added: "The board felt that an AGM would be a repeat of the June meeting which would not be productive."