Decision details

That the Leader of the Council, during the Covid-19 pandemic:

1)    Delegates authority to the Assistant Director – Planning and Regeneration, to grant a three month holiday from rental payments due to the Council under commercial leases, in line with this report.

2)    Delegates authority to the Assistant Director – Planning and Regeneration in consultation with the Leader of the Council to provide any further rent holidays or deferrals after the initial 3 month period, to commercial tenants of Council properties, in line with this report

To take proportionate action in relation to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

To enable operational decisions in relation to this decision to be dealt with without overburdening the Executive.

An alternative option would be not to offer a rent holiday. This could present cash flow problems for certain tenants causing them to become insolvent. This would be contrary to the Council’s economic growth principles and in addition, it may become apparent that the business case for allowing a rent holiday is more financially advantageous compared to seeking a new tenant.

Another alternative would be to offer a blanket holiday to all commercial tenants. This is not considered necessary at this time and a case by case determination ensures that support is being given to those businesses which need it the most.