DBID levy on Yorkshire Coast businesses should be deferred because of coronavirus, urges Scarborough Council

The authority’s deputy leader, Cllr Liz Colling (Lab), released a statement calling on the levy on more than 1,300 businesses to be deferred to help those fighting to keep their livelihoods afloat in the midst of the pandemic.

The tourism businesses from Staithes to Spurn Point with a rateable value of more than £12,000 are all liable for the mandatory 1.5% levy but after cuts to business rates in the budget and the relief offered by the government in the Covid-19 crisis the BID has been asked to follow suit.

Cllr Colling said: “In addition to the information we published [this week] about how we are administering the government’s package of business support measures at a local level, we have also urged the Yorkshire Coast BID company to demonstrate their support by deferring collection of the levy at this exceptional time.

“It is very important that we all work together to support our communities through this extremely challenging time and we trust that Yorkshire Coast BID will join with us in supporting our local businesses.”

Scarborough Council is responsible for collecting the levy from businesses on behalf of the BID.

Last week the BID company said it had no plans to defer payments on the levy, following the announcement of a 12-month business rates holiday.

The council’s call also follows the publication of the Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) independent review into the authority’s role in the 2018 BID ballot.

The report’s author, AEA chief executive Peter Stanyon, found flaws with the ballot process but concluded that “on the evidence presented to me I am satisfied that the ballot process was generally undertaken in accordance with the process prescribed by the [BID] regulations”.

A meeting of the council’s audit committee was due to take place yesterday to discuss the report but was postponed due to the pandemic.

The Yorkshire Coast BID company has been approached for a response to Scarborough Council’s request.