Councillors in Scarborough say they are concerned by the Yorkshire Coast BID companies response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Borough Councils overview and scrutiny committee has passed a motion expressing grave concerns over performance of the company overall and concern about a low degree of active support from the company to local business during COVID crisis.
The committee are asking the BID company to consider payment holidays for companies unable to pay levy until September and to explore possibility of paying back some of the levy payments already made.
Hero Sumner is from the Yorkshire Coast Levy Payers Association, speaking at this weeks meeting she explained how one Whitby business is struggling to pay it's levy.
Sue Anderson Brown is from the Brunswick Centre in Scarborough, which contains over 30 levy paying businesses. Sue says the businesses in the centre don't feel they've had any real support from the BID Company during the pandemic.
The BID Company say legislation means that they are unable to stop issuing the levy bills, but that they have put in place a six month deferral on collecting the levy.
Kerry Carruthers is the BID's Chief Exec
BID Chairman Clive Rowe Evans says after the six month deferral comes to an end in February they will look at a business ability to pay on a case by case basis.
The motion passed by the councils Overview and Scrutiny Board will now be sent to the Yorkshire Coast BID Company for their consideration. Another meeting between the Board and the BID Company is being scheduled for spring next year.