Free parking and rent cut for traders to be discussed

FREE car parking and rent cuts for market traders in Nuneaton and Bedworth are being considered by council bosses.

It has been revealed, in a Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council cabinet report, that a number of measures are being considered to help the borough as lockdown eases.

This includes, over the next three months, free car parking being offered in council owned car parks:

Weekdays - Free after 3pm. Weekends - Free all day.

It is also being proposed that, for the first three months following the re-opening of non-essential businesses, a rent reduction for both contracted and casual Market Traders be applied.

The options for the reduction are:

A grant as contribution towards a reduction of 25 per cent.

A grant as contribution towards a reduction of 50 per cent.

The idea of offering free parking as well as reduced market rates is not new to the Town Hall.

The opposing Conservatives included both of these in their alternative budget while Green party councillor Keith Kondakor appealed for free parking after 3pm to ensure that towns remained Covid-19 safe and brought in more trade during the quieter afternoons.

The Labour group, while not supporting the proposals at the time, did say they would look into if help could be given, once the national lockdown was lifted.

Funding to pay for this would come from the £3.7m given to the council by the government in Additional Restrictions Grant.

The council has come under fire for the amount of the ARG it has given out so far.

Nuneaton and Bedworth’s MPS accused the ruling Labour group of hoarding £3.1m of the cash.

Town Hall leader, Cllr Julie Jackson denied this, and said the Town Hall had worked hard to give out funding and hinted that plans were due to be revealed in the cabinet meeting.

These ideas are now in report for the cabinet, who are due to meet virtually tonight.