Just a bump to remind people that the consultation finishes in a few days!
FYI, I have responded on behalf of the BPC with the following points:
In response to Question 4 (4.2.5)
No, we do not agree.
We suggest that voluntary organisations with no paid employees should be exempt from the levy as volunteers do not have the time to deal with the administration of collecting fees.
We think that low cost / low profit accommodation should also be exempt. Low profit organisations do not have the funds or manpower to deal with the administration of levies.
We also suggest that children, students and OAPs be exempt from paying levies.
In response to Question 5 (4.3.2)
Yes.
We think there should be thresholds so that accommodations with low profits are not liable for a levy. Low profit organisations do not have the funds or manpower to deal with the administration of levies.
We also think that there should be a threshold in relation to cost per night so that student groups who choose low cost accommodation are not disadvantaged.
In response to Question 7 (4.5.2)
Yes - we think that mayors should be able to add local exemptions in caving areas (e.g., The Yorkshire Dales, The Peak District, The Mendip Hills) for caving club accommodation.
Many cavers add a valuable contribution to the local community through voluntary work, whether this be in the form of conservation work or participation in local rescue teams.
Cavers also add to the local economy across the main caving areas in the country which often do not see much trade, especially in the winter months when other outdoor activity often declines yet caving often tends to peak. The recent Reconomics 3.0 report reconfirms that outdoor recreation is a particularly significant contributor to the economy in rural areas (such as caving areas). Outdoor recreation drives the visitor economy and local cafes, restaurants, shops and pubs all benefit from visiting cavers. Discouraging cavers from visiting these areas could significantly impact the local economy and the local communities.
Caving clubs who offer accommodation to their members and other guests from the caving community are run entirely by volunteers who do not have capacity to deal with the administrative burden of visitor levies. Caving hut fees are low cost and are designed to offer a service to the caving community and cover running costs rather than to gain a profit. Levies could be detrimental to caving clubs and the caving community.
Many of the same arguments could also be applied to other sporting clubs.
In response to Question 32/33 (8.5.4)
We suggest that voluntary organisations with no paid employees should be exempt from the levy as volunteers do not have the time to deal with the administration of collecting fees.
If a levy is to be paid we suggest that visitors pay directly to council, or that the council collects the fee.
