Decision details

Coronavirus – Discount to Markets Traders

Reference: D52069

Decision Maker: Director of City Development

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decision:

The Director of City Development has agreed to implement a range of discounts for Market Traders as set out below with effect from 1st July 2020.
A) The current discount for open market traders be continued until the end of June 2020 only. (It is not expected that the open market will have any traders still unable to trade from 1st July).
B) That a discounted level of 25% be set for each individual trader’s fee or rent (open and indoor market) where they are not in receipt of a greater discount set out in c) and d) below. Full Service Charge will be applied to indoor market traders. This level of discount will apply until 30th September 2020, ie end of quarter 2.
C) That a discounted rent charge of 100% be applied to all personal services businesses ( including barbers, hairdressers, beauty treatments) that are unable to trade until such time as they are allowed to trade in accordance with the Government instructions. These traders will be subject to full service charge recovery. This discount will apply until Government restrictions on personal services including barbers, hairdressers, beauty treatments are relaxed with a long-stop date of 30th September 2020.
D) That a discounted rent charge of 50% be applied to all food to go traders wef 1st July 2020. These traders will be subject to full service charge recovery. This discount will apply until Government restrictions on take-away service only are relaxed with a long-stop date of 30th September 2020.
E) All indoor market arrears built up over the initial three month period remain payable and that traders be asked to clear the arrears. Where traders are unable to do so immediately to enter into payment plans whereby the outstanding debt is repaid with a long-stop position of 31st March 2022. If traders had an existing arrears amount that the payment plan for that be continued on its existing basis.
F) That the above arrangements, be kept under review and if any ‘local lockdown’, ‘2nd spike’ or a pro-longed period of reduced customer confidence occur, that further measures to support traders will be considered.
G) The Head of Markets and the Chief Officer Operations be authorised to discuss with individual traders on a case by case basis issues of hardship with individual traders and that waives of money due to LCC be considered within the scope of the existing arrangements and the scheme of delegation.
H) Where traders’ extenuating individual circumstances prohibit them from trading, even though Government restrictions would allow their tradeline to trade, point g) above will apply and individual discussions will be held.
I) That discounts be applied where traders have complied with reasonable requests to maintain safe social distancing measures in accordance with the Government instructions during the period of the discount being applied.

Wards Affected: Hunslet and Riverside; Little London and Woodhouse; Otley and Yeadon; Pudsey;

Contact: Phil Evans, Chief Officer Transformation and Partnerships 0113 378 2542 Email: phil.evans@leeds.gov.uk.

Publication date: 01/07/2020

Accompanying Documents: