The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Market traders, South Holland Centre users and town and parish councils are among those set to be hit by proposed increases in charges.
South Holland District Council, which as previously reported is looking to save around £4.4m in the next few years, has announced proposed increases in its fees and charges from April 1.
The authority says it will also increase fees annually “by at least Retail Price Index (RPI)” in a report to its Cabinet that’s due to meet next week.
It’s using an RPI figure of 2.9 per cent.
Market traders
The report says the charge for market traders to have a stall in Spalding, Crowland, Long Sutton or Holbeach is set to increase by the RPI figure despite the district council itself predicting loss of traders will mean next year it will be £20,000 down on what it thought it would get in this current 19/20 financial year.
The council had budgeted to receive £105,000 in this financial year but now believes it will receive £90,000 and has budgeted that will decline to £85,000 for 20/21.
An appendix with the report states on market stall fees: “Fees and charges increased however it is expected that this will result in the loss of more traders.
“Market provision currently under review.”
Dave Burgess, the chair of Spalding Market Traders, told The Voice it was the first he’d heard of the potential for increases.
“I’d be very disappointed,” he said. “A few years ago we agreed to provide our own sheets so the council could save money by getting rid of stall erectors.
“The market is a huge part of the town and the council should be helping traders.”
A South Holland District Council spokesman said: “Whilst there has been a general downward trend in stall holders, we need to ensure that the costs of running the market are covered by those traders who attend.
“The downturn is not reflective of costs, which have not been increased for a number of years and which are in-line with inflation. Encouraging more traders and the revitalisation of our market is one of the Council’s key objectives with our town centre improvement plan.”
Waste
The cost of getting a garden waste bin is proposed to increase from £49 to 52. Charges for garden waste sacks will remain uncharged.
Bulk waste collections are to change. Where before it was a standard £25 charge, it’s now proposed to charge £15 for the collection of one item, £25 for two and £30 for three items.
The authority believes that will see it receiving £5,800 more in the next financial year from the service.
The South Holland Centre and Ayscoughfee Hall
The cost of seeing shows and hiring rooms at the South Holland Centre will be subject to ‘inflationary increase’ while tickets for film shows are to rise “between 7.56 and 9.17 per cent” the report states.
Combined it’s expected to help the council raise an extra £13,500, £10,000 of which as a result of the film ticket cost increases.
The reports states SHDC will also raise an extra £2,100 at Ayscoughfee Hall by “fees and charges increasing where possible, along with the introduction of new fees” although there’s no mention of what the new fees will entail.
Other charges
After raising £19,000 more than the district council thought it would in this financial year through cutting grass for parish councils, the report states it’s looking at making further increases in that area including a cost increase in-line with RPI.
The authority is also looking to raise an extra £17,800 through CCTV coverage in the next financial year though it says what it charges for the service will not be increased.
Other charges set to increase include the cost of the Food Safety courses, fees over the control of dogs and a licence for a House of Multiple Occupation from £545 to £660 and the licence per bedroom above five beds from £15 to £60.
