The amount North Yorkshire pubs and cafes will have to pay to have outdoor seating in the street is set to more than triple.
North Yorkshire Council is planning to increase the cost of the pavement licence fee to £397.41 for new licences and £301.28 for renewals.
At present, businesses are charged between £0 and £100, with the current fees set by North Yorkshire’s former borough and district councils.
A report prepared for senior councillors stated:
“Prior to local government reorganisation in North Yorkshire, the seven district licensing authorities operated different pavement licensing regimes, the cost of which was recovered from permit holders in accordance with district authority calculations.
“Some did not charge a fee at all. The different area fees for pavement licensing remain.
“Now, North Yorkshire has one licensing team, it is important to harmonise the pavement licence fee throughout the council area.”
Council offices say the increase is needed to ensure the authority covers the cost of issuing the licences.
The report added:
“The council may consider retaining the existing licence fees for pavement licences.
“However, the fees set by the predecessor authorities vary significantly from £0 to £100, and the service would be running at a loss, and recovered unfairly elsewhere.
“Any failure to recover costs permitted by statute would require an unnecessary subsidisation of the licensing regime at the expense of the council’s taxpayers.”
Council officials say the proposed fees have been calculated with a view to recovering all costs associated with issuing the licences.
The new fees are set to be introduced from August 1, with the council able to issue licences for up to two years.
Runners for Great North Run raise over £17,000 Yorkshire Air Ambulance
Family appeal for help finding cat after seven weeks missing in Gargrave
Man arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A drugs in Skipton
£20m regeneration programme launched for Keighley
Skipton Three Peaks challenge raises £8,000 for dementia charity
Keighley shops can keep selling alcohol despite licences being revoked
Police search for Keighley man following Skipton burglary
Beer and Gin Festival returning to Glusburn this weekend
North Yorkshire hospices warn of cuts and closures as funding crisis deepens
Silsden care home launches appeal for handmade clothes protectors
Keighley named best town in Yorkshire for second year running
Long-running Skipton craft shop to close as owners retire
Airedale Seniors Collective celebrates successful Silsden gathering
Skipton fish and chip shop sponsors junior football team
64 arrests made in North Yorkshire Police's biggest ever operation
Skipton BID celebrates Silver Gilt success at Yorkshire in Bloom Awards
Skipton BID rejects claims town is struggling
Sugden End tip reopening approved after £400,000 funding row
Over 500 Afghans resettled in North Yorkshire as 23 households await new homes
Craven College students join campaign to reopen Skipton-Colne railway
