Spalding’s Business Improvement District (BID) launched some free parking as 45 businesses were prosecuted for not paying the controversial new levy towards it this week.
Businesses in the town centre now have to pay up to two per cent of their rateable value to the not-for-profit company every year.
The BID says it will use the money to spend on things to improve the town centre and footfall.
It has only been going a few months, but has spent £11,000 on new hanging baskets for the town.
Last week it announced it had ‘negotiated’ free parking for four hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays, in Vine Street car park, at least until after Christmas.
The BID has agreed to pay £350 a week to South Holland District Council to cover the cost of that parking for the first two months.
It’s a six-month trial and the cost to the BID payers will be reviewed initially after two months.
It comes with the BID needing to show its worth after 89 business owners in the town were given summons to attend court on Monday.
South Holland District Council says that’s out of 456 bills sent out to Spalding businesses and that of the 89 court orders, 42 paid before the court date, one was withdrawn and one adjourned, leaving 45 being served ‘liability orders’.
Several businesses attended the hearing and spoke about why they feel they shouldn’t pay the levy.
It follows a referendum on whether a BID should be created passing by just one vote.
Out of the 115 votes, 58 voted for, 56 against and one was voided.
There was a vote for each property, so the district council itself had 18 votes which it used to vote in favour of the bid.
Meanwhile there’s been claims others didn’t receive their vote.
Nicholas Thompson, who owns Art of Ink Tattoo Studios in Station Road and the soon to be closing Furios in
Winsover Road, claims he should have had two votes but only had one.
He was among those who attended Boston Magistrates’ Court on Monday and spoke against the court hearing.
Spalding business owners came before magistrates this week as they continued their fight against the town’s new Business Improvement District (BID) levy.
Nicholas Thompson runs The Art of Ink in Station Approach and was among those who spoke at Boston Magistrates’ Court on Monday as they were taken to court by South Holland District Council.
“The magistrate was excellent but they said their hands were tied and there was nothing they could do legally,” said Nicholas, who said he believed that 30 per cent of BID rate payers didn’t get a vote. “The magistrates described everything that’s gone on as ‘a murky load of dealings’. They were very sympathetic.
“For my part, I said we’d be paying for things that the council should be doing anyway.”
In total 46 businesses out of 456 are being prosecuted for not paying up to two per cent of the rateable value of their property.
“All the council had to do was prove that they’d sent them, not that the business owners had been received.
“We’ve tried to speak to those on the board but they don’t want to listen.”
A spokesman for South Holland District Council said: “South Holland District Council’s role is to collect the levy on behalf of the BID, and to then pass the funds over to them.
“As it would with council tax and all other council managed collection processes, since the levy notices were issued due time has been given and follow-ups have been undertaken to those with outstanding payments.
“The majority of payments have now been received and, in line with the relevant national regulations, further recovery action was required to ensure the receipt of any remaining funds.”
The manager of Spalding BID says subsidising four hours of free parking on two of the quietest days will encourage more shoppers to stay longer.
You’re able to park for that time in Vine Street on Saturdays and Wednesday from this Saturday (July 5).
“This initiative is on a six-month trial basis taking us to just past the busy Christmas period,” said BID manager Sarah Fletcher.
“During this period we will be carefully monitoring the car park usage to see whether more people are coming into town and staying longer. If successful it is hoped the board will agree to extend the free car parking offer.”
