Ban on toilets and car parks 'voting' in future elections for coastal tourism body

The Yorkshire Coast Business Improvement District (BID), which uses levies from more than 1,300 businesses between Staithes and Spurn Point to promote tourism, is nearing the end of its five-year term.

At a full council meeting, Coun Andy Walker reminded members that when the original vote was held every public asset owned by Scarborough and East Riding Councils got a vote.

The 2018 ballot, run by Scarborough Borough Council, was passed by a margin of 217 in favour with 175 against, on a turnout of just over 29 per cent. It later came to light that 68 votes came from the two councils. Car parks and toilets were among those premises given a vote.

Also included was a BBC transmitting station, National Grid buildings, bus stations, funeral directors, piers and mobility scooter shops.

Coun Walker seconded a motion by Lib Dem group leader Coun David Nolan, which proposed that the council would “resolve to abstain from voting on the establishment or maintenance of further Bids in order that the outcome truly is the will of businesses”. The Bid will be up for renewal in 2024.

Coun Walker said: “This is meant to be a business initiative but it didn’t achieve enough business votes, only when the votes of local authorities were added, did it cross the pitifully low threshold.

"If the clifftop car park and Princess Mary public conveniences had not voted we would not be in this mess.”

It comes as a number of businesses are facing court hearings in York and Beverley on July 7, over non-payment of the tourism tax.

Councillors also agreed to carry out a review to ensure the council has followed the “correct and legal” billing and invoicing procedures.

Coun Walker claimed there could be a “six-figure liability” following a VAT error, adding: “The emerging expert opinion indicates that all those bills may be wrong.”

Afterwards Coun Nolan said the decision would “sound the death knell for future business improvement districts”. He said given the hardships faced by businesses during and after the pandemic “the last thing they need is to be pursued for debt from something they weren’t in favour of”.

Cabinet member Jane Evison - who is a board member on the Bid - said she had “no problem” supporting the motion, saying the workings of the Bid could do with a “proper review” via the scrutiny process.

She said: “It (the Bid) is a private, not for profit (company) which collects a levy to invest in tourism. East Riding Council is fulfilling its statutory duty by collecting the levy.

"The Yorkshire Coast BID enters its final year next year of its current term and an in-depth look at what the performance is, the process and the benefits is very timely.

"I think it would be very helpful to us and businesses.”