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04
Jun
Council ‘exploring further support' for Kex Gill businesses
North Yorkshire Council has said it is “exploring” further support for businesses affected by the ongoing closure of the A59 at Kex Gill.
The A59, which is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton, closed suddenly on February 2 due to a landslip.
Repairs costing £1.8 million so far are due to end in time for the road to re-open by the end of the month.
But the four-month closure has had a significant impact on businesses, particularly those that rely on passing trade.
Julian Smith, the Conservative who hopes to retain his Skipton and Ripon seat in the general election on July 4, called for a temporary rates reduction to offset the financial impact.
Mr Smith said the impact on businesses “has been immense, with footfall plummeting” and that he had twice met council chief executive Richard Flinton to air concerns.
He added:
A reduction in business rates is not a silver bullet but it will help ensure that these businesses can weather the storm and give them a fighting chance when the road does re-open, hopefully, at the end of the month.
Since early February, I have received hundreds of emails from local residents and businesses who have been hit hard by the closure.
Temporarily reducing business rates would provide a small but crucial reprieve in the face of this five-month closure.
Work being carried out at Kex Gill.
Mr Smith urged the council and the government’s Valuation Office Agency to “put together a package of measures that provides these businesses with the necessary support until the road re-opens”.
We asked the council if it intended to act on Mr Smith’s suggestion.
Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director for highways and transport, said:
We are liaising with local businesses where concerns have been raised and we are exploring whether further support can be offered.
Mr Mason acknowledged the closure was “having a significant impact on businesses, commuters and residents” and added the council was “doing all we can to complete the repair as quickly and safely as possible”.
Mark Trickett, who owns the Outside Inn coffee shop at Menwith Hill, told the Stray Ferret in April the road closure was “absolutely murdering us” as turnover had fallen to a third of its usual level.
At the time Karl Battersby, the council's corporate director of environment, said the council would provide “general business advice” to those affected but added there was “no legal requirement under the Highways Act to pay compensation as a result of disruption caused by highways works”.
Asked about the change of tone following Mr Smith’s intervention, Mr Trickett said:
Some consideration on the rates for businesses affected would be at the very least a gesture of good will by North Yorkshire Council.
A rates reduction would not cover all the losses we have incurred by any means, but from a position of them being totally dismissive to the possibility of considering some relief through the rates payable would be better than nothing at all.
The letter Julian Smith has sent is definitely a positive move in the right direction but unless it is agreed and implemented it is nothing but rhetoric as we are still fighting day to day with the current and ongoing reduction in trade.
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