"It's not Las Ramblas" - 'Disgust' over planned charge for al fresco tables in Central Bedfordshire
Opponents of a charge for Central Bedfordshire traders encroaching on to the public highway with tables and chairs have been warned “It’s not Las Ramblas in Barcelona”.
The popular pedestrianised tourist trail in the Spanish city was referenced during open questions at a Central Bedfordshire Council meeting.
Conservative Heath and Reach councillor Mark Versallion said: “Residents and businesses are disgusted at this council’s insistence to proceed with charging small cafes on our high streets for putting tables and chairs outside on the pavement.
“This has been happening for a number of years with no problems. Suddenly without any councillors being consulted, this has been proposed. Can I ask the administration why it’s necessary?”
Independent Potton councillor Tracy Wye replied: “This was agreed by full council last June, officers assured me.
“Venues were encouraged to put tables and chairs outside, during Covid. There’s a huge responsibility for this council to ensure any businesses extending onto the public highway or pavements leave it safe for everyone else to use.
“That’s so they don’t exclude anyone in a wheelchair and allow for people with buggies, ensuring nobody has to step into the road. There’s an element of encouraging businesses to expand and make places nicer, but the council still has a responsibility as the owner of the land.
“The government decided councils could implement a charge to cover the licensing officer time for going through the process and checking. The council leader and myself weren’t happy with a blanket charge of £500 for the first two years, with a £300 charge for the follow-up two years.
“We asked officers to consider reducing the cost to businesses using fewer tables and chairs, with all those affected consulted. Then there’s the amount of time officers need to go through the applications, which takes about seven hours.”
Councillor Versallion asked: “Can you use some common sense to challenge officers, if they’re saying it takes seven hours to review a cafe with three or four tables and chairs outside.
“I would implore you to reflect the views and the priorities of local people, not the officers advising you. There’s no way it costs that much. You’ve a duty as a local authority to support struggling high streets.
“Suddenly bringing this in after years of successful operation is unreasonable. Will you bring this to scrutiny for a recommendation to the executive, before you introduce the charge?”
Executive member for sustainability and climate resilience, councillor Wye added: “Most other authorities charge.
“I intend to bring it back to licensing committee, where this can be scrutinised by revisiting the policy and strengthening it to include some words around littering.
“It’s already been through scrutiny in fees and charges, and we’ve all voted for it. If people didn’t spot that, we can’t spoon-feed all the reports.
“We’ve also had complaints about tables and chairs. It’s not like Las Ramblas in Barcelona where everyone’s happy and out in the sunshine.
“If it’s decided CBC won’t charge for this and the officers will do the work pro bono, we need to understand how much it costs and what’s required without expenditure recovery.”